Banished By Mistake
by kenyizsu
Summary: Gods mess up all the time. The costs are just usually astronomically higher than in the case of humans. Anubis could tell you all about it. R&R, please! Uploaded from DeviantArt
1. Prologue

**Welcome everyone, to a story long in the making! ;) This Tutenstein fanfiction has been in the making for 6 years (I'm a slow writer, don't sue me), which is probably gonna show on the general composing. I have uploaded the whole thing onto DeviantArt, but now I have decided to put it on FF-net as well, since it's already finished.**

 **This is a story, mostly focused on the gods rather than our favorite mortal characters, but fear not, pretty much everyone who matters has a cameo in it. The main protagonist is Anubis (gotta love the guy), you can follow his misfortunes throughout 43 chapters (longest fanfiction I have written so far!).**

 **Please enjoy! ^^**

 **Tutenstein (c) Porchlight Entertainment, Discovery Kids**

 **oooOOOooo**

 **Prologue**

Some people think gods can do anything they want. That there's no limit of their power. That they can appear whenever, wherever and in any shape they want. That they know everything, there are no such things like secrets to them. That they are immortal and indestructible.

Well, they are wrong. Gods have limited power and very strict rules control their everyday life. Thought they can appear whenever and in any shape they want to, but not wherever. And guess what? They don't know everything. There are secrets and things they can't understand or simply don't know. Though they are immortal, they can be killed by demons or by another member of their "race". And they make mistakes. Lots of mistakes. Mistakes that can end up destroying the world or humanity or both. Or one of their own's life. Therefore they have to be careful with their knowledge and power.

Of course there are mistakes that cannot be avoided. Though usually they start very simple: they start with a prank.


	2. Prank

**In which our favorite falcon god, Horus makes a weird choice and our favorite jackal god, Anubis has nothing to say against it.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Prank_**

One would think that the Egyptian gods are boring. After all, they are only famous for their animal heads, and hardly anyone knows anything about their personal lives. Take the Greek pantheon for example. Everyone knows just how many times Zeus actually cheated on Hera, or how Hermes stole stuff from the other gods. The Greek people loved gossips, no wonder these stories managed to reach even the farthest corners of the Earth. But what about Egypt? The people there were more like tightlips and they preferred staying on the good side of their gods, meaning they didn't tell everyone about every little thing the deities did. You have to dig very deep into their culture to finally find these stories. In long forgotten temples and tombs everything is written down and you soon discover just how NON-boring these guys were. Next to the usual family scandals they also tell of remarkable heroic epics in which the gods very actively and every day fight for the survival of the mortal world. Unlike Greek gods who rely on their demigod children in saving the world every once in a while, Egyptian gods do it on their own. Day to day they overcome challenges, dangers, demons, rival gods, jealousy, anger and other nasty emotions so that the mortals could once again greet the Sun every morning and life could go on.

So one would think that because of all these trials, these gods form a very strong and united bunch. Wrong again. Though they can show remarkable teamwork when it is most needed, usually they like to spend their time alone or in small groups. Big councils are extremely rare, everybody's doing his or her task mostly without interfering into the other's. Most gods are almost strangers to each other.

But, of course, this pantheon couldn't exist without rivalry either. Ra versus Apep, Ra versus Isis, Horus versus Seth and Osiris versus Seth (pretty much everyone versus Seth) were the most well-known. But there was one more that not many knew about, mainly because it hadn't caused any earth-shattering event that would have affected the whole wide world or at least the kingdom of Egypt. Not yet, anyways…

Horus was the Lord of the Sky, the third ruler of Egypt, the guardian of the pharaohs and nowadays the Protector of the Overworld.

Anubis was the jackal-headed Guardian of the Dead, Inventor of Mummification, Judge of Hearts and Guide of the Souls.

These two, although literally had nothing to do with each other, other than being cousins, were nearly always at each other's throat. Horus was the one who always started the arguments/fights, as he carried a deep and quite justified hatred towards Seth and **anything** connected to him. This of course included Anubis as well, since the jackal god was unfortunate enough to be the one and only offspring of that demonic God of Chaos. He couldn't be any more different than his father however, quiet, even shy a bit, well-mannered, respectful and with always good intentions towards the mortals. Despite all of this, Horus was bent on making his life miserable.

Back in the old days the two of them had some very serious, almost lethal rivalry, when fights often ended with both of them being wounded seriously. They were not afraid of using weapons and offensive magic spells against each other. They even destroyed parts of the palace in the meantime, so the other gods quickly learned to separate them as soon as the fights started. Later these clashes toned down a bit and became wrestling matches. This way they couldn't really deal much damage to their surroundings, but they found ways to deal much damage to each other. Centuries passed and the scolding they always got from Horus' parents, Isis and Osiris (who were also Anubis' foster-parents as his mother, Nephthys disappeared long ago) and pretty much every elder god in existence were hardly achieving anything. The best they could do was that even the wrestling subdued and nowadays all they did was playing (sometimes pretty cruel) pranks on each other. Unless Horus was in a very rotten mood, because then they would go at each other with weapons once more. Anubis, though ridiculously calm and collected, had a very sore spot when it came to his mother. He didn't even know Nephthys, she abandoned him at the age of a few days, yet the jackal god was extremely overprotective of her and he defended her reputation against anyone. All Horus had to do is let loose a couple of snappy remarks and comments of the goddess (he barely knew her, too) and Anubis was ready to make him swallow a khopesh (Egyptian bent copper sword) in whole.

All the other gods had long since given up making them abandon this habit. Most didn't even bother with it. After all, it couldn't possibly cause any real harm to the Under- and/or the Overworld.

oooOOOooo

Nowadays, being the Lord of the Sky and the No. 1 Protector of the Overworld was not really a job the others envied him for. In fact, it made his life a total mess. Not only was he technically forbidden to have a day-off, he also could hardly spend any time with his wife, Hathor, the Goddess of Love. Every other god could make himself/herself unavailable at least on the weekend, but if Seth decided to attack the only permanent portal, the Gate leading to the Overworld, Horus had to get there and destroy usually an entire demon army single-handedly. And, although it was quite an impressive achievement, it also took away a lot of time from him.

Today, however, was different. Seth decided to give Horus a break, it seemed. What better way to spend it than pursuing his greatest hobby? It wouldn't take long, then he could go look for his wife.

The Sundisk was shining down onto City, the only habitable place in the entire Underworld where all the gods (minus Atum and Seth) lived. It was actually a heap of temples, smaller and bigger ones, all belonging to one or two gods. There was also a public bath near to the centre. The City was surrounded by a massive wall system and four large gates facing the main points of the compass.

Horus carefully sneaked through the narrow corridors and wide streets. He did not excelled in it like the cat goddesses Bastet and Sekhmet but he wasn't that bad either. He managed to get to his destination without being noticed, so he could slip inside the temple without any unwanted attention.

The first things that greeted him were scrolls. Scrolls, scrolls everywhere. Giant cupboards were loaded with the things. At one of the walls a neat desk stood with a chair, a magical mirror, able to show part of the Overworld, was hanging on the wall before them. Even the double bed was made perfectly, being tugged away in one of the far corners of the temple, behind some transparent green curtains. Not a speck of dust could be found.

 _That neat-freak Thoth_ , Horus rolled his eyes, and for a moment a new prank crossed his mind: how about making some disorder around here? Just to see how the ibis god and his wife, Ma'at would react. He quickly dismissed the idea though. First, because he had no time for it, and second, because he respected the old god too much to play a trick on him. But that didn't mean he couldn't borrow something for a few minutes.

He quickly walked up to a smaller cupboard next to desk. What luck, neither deity was around! Opening it he found dozens of smaller and bigger bottles of ink, all different colors. Horus grinned and started looking for one that had a very high color, preferably visible from a long distance.

 _Hm, how about that bright red one?_

He held up the bottle a little. Strange, the rest had glass bottles and wooden plug, but this one's case was made out of some kind of crystal and had a granite plug and a golden paint brush.

 _Maybe Thoth uses it for official letters or something…_

Horus carefully pulled out the brush a little to see the color more clearly. Perfect. He took it out of the cupboard, closed its wings and hurried out, setting course towards another temple, a much smaller one. This one had lying jackal statues on the two sides of its main door. Horus peeked inside then rushed in with a huge grin on his beak.

Anubis was sound asleep, taking a nap in the middle of the day. He was lying on his belly on the bed, head resting on his crossed arms. The jackal god huffed and puffed in his dream, ears occasionally moving a little, but otherwise he was completely still. Horus walked up to him without urgency. When Anubis was sleeping, he was sleeping very deeply. The falcon god pulled out the brush and began painting on the exposed back. Anubis snorted but nothing more. Horus almost burst out in laughter.

 _Wow, this is too easy…_

Upon finishing the work, he stepped back to take a better look at it.

"I AM AN IDIOT"

And below that a stupid, primitive stick figure drawing of Anubis with big lazy eyes and a tongue sticking out.

Masterpiece.

Horus was so occupied with admiring his work that he didn't notice a large drop of ink falling down from his paint brush. He then quickly plugged it back into the bottle, left the crime location and rushed back to his own place after putting back the ink into the cupboard.

He could hardly wait for Anubis to wake up and discover the painting.


	3. Spots

**In which the nerdy ibis god comes back from a break, only to find out that he REALLY shouldn't have had one in the first place.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Spots_**

 _Ah, yes, there is nothing better than taking a long swim in one of the pools at noon_ , mused Thoth, rubbing himself with a towel. It felt good to take a break every once in a while from his diary-writing and doing something relaxing. It really refreshed his mind. Now he was ready to go on from where he left off.

After all, there was a lot to do. Ever since the gods of Egypt were once more called upon the Earth, Thoth realized that this new world could surprise him every single day. Everything had changed, even Egypt wasn't what it used to be. Thoth didn't really know how the others coped with this, he personally felt like being hit by an atomic bomb of information and it was hard to process even for him, the God of Wisdom and Learning. He didn't even know how to feel about the modern world. On one hand he was happy and thrilled that humanity has reached such a level of existence. On the other hand he was devastated and even disgusted at what they sometimes used their technology for.

With all this new information, it was really hard to find a point of reference, so Thoth decided to write down everything new he learned. This was his so-called "diary". Today he even had more time to work on it since his wife, Ma'at, Goddess of Justice and Order was busy. In the Hall of Judgment, the Scale of Heart needed some repairs. Ammut, curse that dimwitted demon, bumped into it, turning it over, ripping some of the strings in the process. Ma'at and Ptah, God of Craftsmanship were assigned to mend it, and since it was not an ordinary scale, it took some time.

So Thoth was ready to get back to surveying the Overworld, taking note and after that showing it to the other gods, or at least to two of them: Bastet and Anubis. The three of them had been rather close, even though they weren't a family. It was rather unheard of that three differing gods would be friends but here they were, still together. Thoth, being one of the eldest gods, had taught Bastet and Anubis when they were kids (he taught pretty much all the gods following after himself and Ra) and they really grew close to him even after they became adults.

The ibis god walked into his temple then stopped dead on his tracks. Wait, he forgot something… Oh right! He turned to the small cupboard next to his desk and opened it. He wanted to make sure it was tidy so he started looking for ink spots around the bottles, even around those he rarely used. After a couple of minutes he got to the crystal bottle of the red ink. His eyes widened a little as he saw a small blob next to it. Out of all the inks in there, it was the last one he expected to be used. Immediately he rushed to the night table next to his bed and out of one of the drawers he took a pair of special gloves made of demon skin. Trying them on, he rushed back to the cupboard, carefully lifting up the crystal bottle. Was it cracked? No, the case was perfectly intact. Then how did that spot got there? The last time he used it was literally ages ago… almost six **thousand** years ago! And after that one occasion he vowed never to use it again… Unless the situation was extremely dire.

\- What has happened here? – he wondered aloud as he pulled out the brush. The golden handle was covered in the ink, showing that it was used recently.

But that couldn't be! He didn't even glance into its direction and neither did Ma'at… he told her not to.

Thoth tried his best to come up with an explanation but couldn't. And **that** was something. He slowly shook his head, placing the bottle back to its place. Then he brushed the spot off with his gloves, watching it soak into the texture, disappearing from sight. With a heavy sigh he took them off and placed them onto his desk then left the temple. Maybe a walk would help him solve this mystery.

Thoth almost bumped into Horus around the corner.

\- Oh… excuse me – he mumbled.

\- Nah, it's okay – the falcon god smiled, he looked very content –, Is something the matter?

\- No, no, nothing… Just thinking…

\- Yeah, I can see that. Hey, did you happen to see Hathor somewhere?

\- Oh, she is at the pool, I believe.

\- Thanks – smirked Horus and hurried off.

Something must have really worked out for him today.

Thoth absentmindedly set course to Anubis' temple. When he got there, he stopped. Maybe together they would find the answer. The jackal god's way of thinking often differed from his, but it might be an advantage in this situation.

So he walked in. Total emptiness greeted him. Weird, Anubis usually spent his time here, he liked being by himself. Thoth, unsure of what to do now, looked around slowly. Even weirder, the bed of the god looked like it had been used minutes ago. The black pillow still held the imprints of his head… or his arms, or something. The ibis god went a little closer. Okay, so Anubis probably had just gotten up from a nap, maybe he'll be back soon. Thoth's eyes slowly casted onto the ground before him.

He stumbled back, almost falling over.

Only two centimeters away from where his toe was originally, a large bright red blob covered the ground. In the shape of an evilly smirking, distorted face.

The ibis god stared at it, body frozen but mind racing like a sandstorm. Recently used red ink… Horus having a day-off and being very content… a big ink blob next to Anubis' bed…

Thoth spun around on his heels and ran out of the temple, looking for Horus. In the meantime he prayed he was wrong.

There is just no way the falcon god used that ink on Anubis! Right?!

oooOOOooo

Anubis woke up with a sneeze. The dust irritated his nose… dust?!

 _What the…?_ , he sprung to his feet.

It was dark. Really dark. And the air was cool. Something was not right here. He remembered lying on his berth before falling asleep. So where was he if not in the Underworld?

His eyes hadn't adopted the darkness yet. He heard strange, booming voices, buzz and clatter that totally confused him. He could smell something really bad, like it was the mixture smoke and trash. Suddenly a flash of light passed by behind him. He didn't have time to turn around, was frozen by the sight his eyes caught in that split second.

He was surrounded by brick walls on three sides. The place was full of dust and trash bins. He was staring at a curious black cat that was thin and hungry, but this newcomer got its attention.

It was an alleyway.

He forced himself to turn around. Behind him, where the flash passed by, a four-lane highway extended with lamp posts and passing carts… **cars** that had bright lights coming out of the front. Giant buildings towered over it all, their roofs disappeared into the night sky as no light could reach up that high. Some windows were yellow, most were dark.

Okkkay, so he was in the Overworld. How did he get here again? Anubis stared at the highway, before turning back to the alley. The black cat was still there, still looking at him with sparkling emerald eyes.

\- Oh I get it! – snorted Anubis after a few seconds of silence then raised his voice a little bit. – Horus! I know you can hear me!

No answer.

\- Nice trick, you overgrown sparrow! I almost fell for it, truly – continued Anubis. – I really hope you can find a good hiding place now, because I shall bury you under your own throne!

No answer.

The jackal god snapped his fingers then placed his hands onto his hips expectantly. Nothing happened. A portal should have appeared by now next to him…

He tried again. The result was the same.

\- Horus? – he called out again, not as certain as before. – Stop this, alright? I do not know how you are doing this but… Fine, you win! Let me go home already!

This time he tried a somewhat more complicated enchanting, waving his hand around. But the portal refused to open up.

\- Horus! – he snapped. – This is not funny anymore! … Horus?

The black cat tilted its head a little, but nothing more.

Anubis felt his mouth dry out. Something was not right here. He slowly turned around and carefully went closer to the highway. Apparently, the alley was between two shops, both having big display windows on the front wall. As the jackal scanned the highway, his eyes accidentally casted there as well. He froze to his spot.

What has happened to him?!

The golden outline around his eyes were gone, instead it was red and had a different shape. He shook his head. Maybe all those weird lights made him hallucinate. He looked at the reflection again. That new, somewhat… fierce pattern was still there. He had seen it before somewhere…

It took him two whole minutes to finally recognize it. His desperate scream however was overwhelmed by a nearby passing truck.


	4. Ink

**In which shit hits the fan, quite frankly.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Ink_**

Bes and Bastet were watching something they never thought they would live: Thoth screaming his head off, shaking Horus by his shoulders, as if he had gone mad.

\- YOU RETARDED FALCON, TELL ME YOU DID NOT DO WHAT I AM THINKING YOU DID! - he yelled at Horus.

\- Why, what do **you** think I did? – he asked innocently.

\- Did you use that red ink on Anubis?!

-… Yeah, but it was only a pr—

\- ARE YOU MAD?! DO YOU EVEN REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!

\- It was just a prank, Thoth! – Horus managed to free himself. – Why do you have to go all mad on me?

-… You do not realize what you have done – whispered Thoth in fear, then turned on his heels. – We must call a meeting for everyone! Hurry!

And he ran off.

oooOOOooo

The Assembly Room was a huge hall in Osiris's temple. Compared to other places, it wasn't fancy, just a bare round hall with lots of pillars and thrones forming a circle. Every god had their own place among these seats, and now the entire room was full.

According to Thoth, it was an emergency. Even Atum appeared who usually wasn't in the City. Soon every other god arrived and waited impatiently for Thoth to explain this.

Atum gave the signal. Thoth stood up from his throne and began walking around the hall nervously, looking at the ground.

\- I am really sorry for bothering you at this hour, but it is an emergency – he started.

\- What would it be? – asked Atum.

Osiris glanced at Anubis's empty throne. The jackal must have been connected to it.

 _Not again_ , he thought.

\- It all started with Horus and this – Thoth lifted up the bottle of the red ink to the air.

\- I swear it was just a joke – said Horus in defeat.

\- How many times do we have to tell you to stop those pranks! – shouted Thoth.

\- Calm down! – boomed Atum. – Thoth, explain it.

\- Yes, of course – said Thoth, looking at the bottle. – But first let **Horus** tell everything.

-… - the falcon glanced at the ibis, then started. – I just wanted to trick Anubis okay? You know, painting something on his back. So I went to Thoth's temple for ink and took the bright red one…

\- You stole it!

\- Thoth! – said Osiris, silencing the ibis who was unusually nervous.

-… and went to Anubis who was sleeping, and I painted something on his back then I left and placed the ink back to its place. That's all – finished Horus.

\- Thoth, your turn – nodded Atum towards the ibis.

\- What you have done – hissed the ibis at Horus. – was the worst idea ever! Playing a joke; fine, it is not that bad! Playing a joke with my possession is not that good; and playing a joke with this ink is the worst!

\- Why? – asked Bastet. – What can this do?

\- Did you not notice something strange when you painted? – asked Thoth.

\- Not really – shrugged Horus.

\- You can consider yourself lucky! – snapped Thoth. – One drop of this, and you would have had the same fate as Anubis!

That's when everyone realized Thoth was wearing demonskin gloves. To protect himself from… something.

\- What has happened to him?! – hissed Bastet nervously.

\- This ink… - Thoth started walking again. -… is not a normal ink. It has huge and undoubted power. It has a special purpose.

The air became very tensed in a matter of seconds. Some gods started murmuring but the noise quickly died out.

\- It has the power to do something even worse than death to its victim. I hope everyone remembers the war between Horus and Seth…

\- Don't even mention it –mumbled Horus, remembering the events.

\- When Seth was defeated, he was banished to the deserts. But he could have returned ages ago if it were not for me and a spell of mine – said Thoth. – I used this ink on him – showing up the bottle again.

-… Eh? – asked Horus, unintentionally leaning forward and opening his eyes wide in surprise.

\- This ink has the power to banish someone to a place the user wants. It is irrevocable, and lasts forever. You all know how Seth looks like nowadays. Well… those marks are the ink itself. It is all over his body, sealing him away from the City, restraining most of his magic – finished Thoth. – And you, Horus, used the very same ink on Anubis…

oooOOOooo

Anubis was shaking madly, still staring at the broken glass he just smashed. No, this can't be! He couldn't believe Horus did this to him. That the falcon hated him so much that he…

The red marks around his eyes were longer than the golden ones, and one line ran to his mouth. It was an all too familiar symbol. He was sure for a second someone else stared back at him from the glass. His father, Seth, who was banished ages ago.

It was devastating to realize that he has just suffered the same fate.


	5. Help

**In which Anubis really needs to work on his human form.**

 **oooOOOoo**

 ** _Help_**

Anubis was freaked out. No other words could describe it. Or maybe the word "panic" can. He just couldn't imagine what he had done to deserve this. He was banished, that was sure. He couldn't even open a portal.

 _Okay, stay calm_ , he thought desperately. _First, let's find out where I am._

What kind of shape should he choose? A dog? Nah, jackals are rare in these big cities. Wait, he had the perfect one!

Soon instead of the 3 meters high, jackal-headed god, only a 170 cm high, young Egyptian boy with medium-length black hair could be seen.

Ooookay, maybe not that perfect. He was still a little bit odd with this white tunic and sandals made of reeds. But for now it would do.

He ran out to the pavement. Those buildings were huge! Well… not as big as the Pyramids in Giza but they were bigger than the pharaoh's palace. He shivered. The air was cool, and the passing cart… **cars** weren't helping either. Anubis was almost blinded by the powerful light they emitted.

Where should he look? These streets were all the same. He just kept walking, desperately trying to find something that could tell him some information about this place. Just when he was about the give up, something caught his eye… well almost blinded him. On the front of a building annoyingly flashy lights shown that it was the "Tennessee Bar". Tennessee? Wait, he heard that name before. Somewhere. He went on, hoping to find something more. He passed a shop preparing for closing and saw the perfect tool: maps. He glanced at the shopkeeper who was too busy with some boxes to look behind his back. Anubis quickly fetched a map and ran away. Had he been a mortal, he would have been done for in the Afterlife. Thank Atum he wasn't.

In a safe alleyway he looked at the map.

"Nashville, Tennessee".

Nashville… could it be? He quickly looked over the streets.

"National History Museum".

It wasn't that far away!

 _Please, let it be,_ he said his prayer to… whoever hearing it, and he started running.

Not long ago Thoth made him and Bastet watch the Overworld for hours, trying to memorize the modern culture and customs.. It had been mind numbing to say the least, but it seemed to pay off now. He knew what the red traffic light meant so no cars ran over him. Though every walker stared at him, he didn't have time to care about that.

It took 15 minutes to get there. He immediately recognized the building. Though the front door was locked, Anubis was far from giving up. Worse come to worst, he would just kick in the door. But as he used his magic to scan around his surroundings, he found the key. In the mouth of the gryphon statue at the stairs. Opening the door was an easy task, sneaking into was even easier as the coward night guard, Walter Jacobs, was shivering under his table. Again. He hurried to the Egyptian Hall. The familiar place calmed him a little bit down. The tomb, the sarcophagus, the treasures, statues and scrolls. Only one problem: it was all too quiet. Running out of patience he marched towards the sarcophagus and slammed his fist into its top.

\- PHARAOH! – he yelled.

No answer. He opened it up just to find it empty.

 _No no no_ , he growled. _Where is that kid when you actually need him?!_

Now where to look? Where could he possibly go without being discovered? Anubis forced himself to sit down next to the sarcophagus and think over everything. Maybe the pharaoh was at that girl's house. But where was it and how could he get there? Wait, the pharaoh always kept the Scepter of Was next to him, maybe he could use that to find them or to give off an S.O.S. or something like this.

He sighed, closed his eyes and concentrated.

oooOOOooo

\- TUT, GET YOUR PAWS OFF MY TOOTHBRUSH! – Cleo yelled as she ran into the bathroom.

It was a good idea since the little mummy was about to clean his nails with it.

\- How dare you order the pharaoh around? – he snapped back, but put the toothbrush away.

\- Tut, this is **my** house, **my** place, **I'm** giving the orders here! – growled Cleo.

Behind her Luxor sighed. He told the pharaoh it was a bad idea to visit Cleo. Even though her mother was away for a week, and her grandfather would only arrive tomorrow morning, so the house was adult-less for the night. Tut wasn't listening, as always.

\- Relax, Cleo – grinned the mummy. – We have the entire house! We can watch horror-moovies in that magic box!

\- You're lucky it's my horror-night – smiled back Cleo, and the trio went downstairs to the living-room, got the prepared popcorn, and sat down in front of the TV. It started raining outside, but their attention was paid to the screen.

The films were long, scary, and entertaining, they stayed up until 3 o'clock.

That was when someone's started hammering at the door loudly. The trio screamed as they heard the voice and hid behind the table.

\- Wha-what's that? – asked Luxor who was shaking madly.

\- Who's there? – shouted Cleo over the door, but she only got more hammering.

\- Stand back! – stood up Tut and holding the Scepter of Was he slowly approached the door. – If you're a demon, leave this place at once!

But that visitor wasn't hearing it or simply ignored it.

\- I-I think we watched too many films, sir – chuckled Luxor nervously. – After all, monsters do not exists.

\- You have one in front of you – commented Cleo on Tut. – But you're right, it's probably a harmless someone.

She and Tut slowly sneaked to the door and opened it carefully.

 _*SMACK*_

That someone simply fell into the room, onto the floor face first. Cleo and Tut screamed again and almost fainted, while Luxor managed to get behind the sofa.

Cleo noticed it first, after she was over her first shock. The visitor looked like a 17-year-old boy with creole skin, wearing a white tunic and sandals made of reeds.

\- What does this guy doing here? – she asked, kneeling down, after closing the door.

\- It's good to see someone with the old Egyptian style – said Tut.

Suddenly the stranger moved his hands and pushed himself up a little. He looked at them with begging eyes and moaned:

\- Pharaoh, help me!


	6. Maybe

**In which this word gets thrown around a lot, and I really should have made this chapter longer, lol.**

 **oooOOOoo**

 ** _Maybe_**

Cleo never thought she would live this day. They retreated into her room, she was sitting next to her desk, facing with Tut, Luxor and the visitor sitting on the bed. The latter had a bunch of tissues next to him, as he caught a cold in the rain and was sneezing.

\- So, let's get over it once more – said Cleo to break the silence. – You got banished, great Anubis, from the City by Horus and you need our help to survive in this world.

\- Exact- _HACHOO_! – sneezed Anubis.

Cleo had to admit, his human form was very handsome, though needed some renovation.

\- Bless you! – said Luxor, handing him another tissue.

\- And you do not know why you got banished? – asked Tut.

\- No – the god shook his head. – The last thing I remember is lying on my berth. Then I wake up in the alleyway _HACHOO_!

\- I've never thought gods could be ill – said Cleo.

\- We are not as immortal and such as you may think – admitted Anubis. – We have some of the same weaknesses as humans.

\- But what shall we do? – asked Tut nervously. – Seth got banished too and he hasn't returned since then!

\- I just hope there is a way to revoke it – added Cleo.

\- I hope too… so I can make Horus pay for this – said Anubis before sneezing once more.

oooOOOooo

\- Are you **sure** it can't be revoked?! – asked Horus desperately.

This was bad. He never meant to do this. He just wanted to trick Anubis, but banishing him into the Overworld?! He couldn't even imagine what he would get from his parents after this meeting.

Thoth slowly shook his head. Atum's face frowned.

\- Without him the City is not complete and that means disaster! – said Osiris nervously.

\- Maybe… - started Thoth. -… but just **maybe** I can create an ink that would erase the red one.

\- We have to try – said Isis. – It is Anubis's only hope. And the Overworld's.

oooOOOooo

\- Perfect – hissed Seth watching the events in the Assembly Room. – I should thank you, Horus. You are making my job much easier.

Without Anubis the balance is split, and that meant something terrible to the Overworld, but great news for him.

\- Who would have guessed, old friend? – laughed the god, seeing the falcon's desperate face.

But he soon stopped as he heard Thoth's comment:

 _\- Maybe… but just_ _ **maybe**_ _I can create an ink that would erase the red one._

First he almost went ballistic, that if Anubis's banishment is revoked in time, his plan would fail. He had no doubt that the God of Wisdom would think of something, even if it took time.

Then something popped up in his mind.

 _Maybe…_ , he thought it over carefully.

Those years in the desert and here taught him to realize every opportunity to move forward or survive. And this was one of the best he had ever had.

The only question is: how to grab it?


	7. Message

**In which people realize, the battle is not lost yet! ... just pretty frikking close to it.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Message_**

Cleo entered her room with a cup of hot tea in her hands. It was half past 4, but sleeping wasn't an option. Not anymore.

Anubis was in bad shape. Both physically and mentally. Cleo tried to imagine how would it feel to get banished from home, but she couldn't. The cold wasn't helping either.

The god took the cup without a word and started drinking slowly. He was deep inside his own head, probably thinking about the future.

\- What should we do with him? – asked Tut.

\- Well, since I have no other plans, he'll stay here – mumbled Cleo, planning ahead. – If I can get him to be more modern-looking, he can stay here without problem. I guess.

\- What about your mother? – asked Luxor.

-… mother… - sighed Anubis, still not in this world.

\- I have the perfect diversion for that – smiled Cleo. – Oh, Great Anubis, do you like this plan?

\- Hm? What? – the jackal snapped out of his daydreaming.

\- Would you like to stay with me in my home until this matter is settled? – asked Cleo.

-… Where else can I go? – sighed Anubis.

\- Alright then! – cheered up Cleo. – We'll stay here until Gramps arrive, then we will go to the city and reno- Iiii mean, buy some clothes for you, Lord of the Dead.

oooOOOooo

\- First I have to know where he was banished to – stated Thoth in his temple.

After the meeting was dismissed, he and Bastet dragged along Horus.

\- How can you guess? He could be anywhere – hissed Bastet nervously. – And if the ink is shielding him from the connection, it is impossible to find him!

\- Though the ink does shield him away from us, so we cannot trace him down – said Thoth. – The ink banishes its victim to a place the user wants.

\- But I didn't want to banish him in the first place! – backed off Horus.

\- Are you sure? – Bastet's eyes narrowed. – You wanted nothing more than making him disappear!

\- That was just a fantasy – the falcon went into full defense-mode. – I know we need him. We need all of the gods here! Otherwise…

\- Yes, we know it – Thoth silenced him with a wave of his hand. – Hm… then… What did you write on his back?

-… Is it really that important? – Horus glanced at Bastet. He was sure the cat will be furious if he says it out loud.

\- Yes it is – growled Thoth.

\- Okay – the falcon inhaled deeply before saying it. – "I am an idiot". That's what.

Bastet hissed unpleasantly as her fur ruffled.

\- I-am-an-idiot – mumbled Thoth, not caring about the true meaning of the sentence. – The "idiot" must be the key word…

\- Really? There's a place called "Idiot"? – Horus looked at him.

\- Not necessarily – said Thoth walking around again. – When did you hear it first? And where?

\- Actually? – Horus thought for a moment. – I think when I was watching the little pharaoh and his friends…

\- That is it! – shouted Thoth. – I know where he is.

\- Really? – Bastet's eyes lit up.

\- Yes, and maybe we can even connect him despite the ink.

\- Like how? – asked Horus.

\- You will see soon enough.

oooOOOooo

Tut and Luxor sneaked in the museum to hide in the sarcophagus. It was morning after all, and soon visitors would come.

When they got to the Egyptian Hall, Tut felt the Scepter of Was twitching inside him. He took it out, and it immediately opened a Disk.

The Disk was that "screen" that could show the Under- and Overworld, depending on what the user wanted to watch.

This one showed Thoth.

\- Oh, Great God of Wisdom – Tut was taken aback. – What brings you here at this hour?

\- Finally I could get through – huffed Thoth. – Pharaoh, do you have Anubis nearby?

\- We just left him at Cleo's home – answered Luxor.

\- So that's why – mumbled Thoth. – That ink blocks any connection nearby the victim. Clever.

\- Oh great one – said Tut. – Anubis is truly broken by this banishment. What has he done to deserve this?

\- It was a mistake – sighed Thoth. – We are trying our best to bring him back. Tell him this.

\- I will – bowed the mummy. – Anything else?

\- Yes! – the surprised Thoth was pushed aside by Bastet. – Tell him to hang in there!

\- We will – nodded Luxor.

\- Thank you – smiled Bastet and the Disk vanished.

\- I will forward their message – said Luxor.

He made sure the little mummy hid in the sarcophagus then ran home. He wanted to inform Anubis before he and Cleo would go to the city. But he was too late.


	8. Shopping

**In which Cleo drags Anubis to the worst place imaginable, while everyone else's busy with important stuff.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Shopping_**

Cleo decided she would do everything to make Anubis's staying more pleasant. And that included pulling him in the customs of this world.

Her grandfather arrived around 8, and immediately spotted out him with his appearance. But thanks God he was very friendly and not that suspicious type.

\- Gramps, meet… Adam! – smiled Cleo as she pulled there the unwilling Anubis. – He's my new classmate at school! He's an exchange student and I agreed in staying here until he finds lodgment.

\- Good to see you, son! – Gramps shook hands with Anubis. – I see you like solariums a lot.

\- Uh, Gramps – said Cleo. – He's… Egyptian.

\- Egyptian? Hey, sonny, you're far from your home then!

\- Yes… - mumbled Anubis.

\- What's with these clothes, son?

\- Oh, he had a performance at school and when it was over, his normal clothes had been stolen – said Cleo quickly. – We are going to buy new ones.

Anubis glanced at her. She was very good at improvising that's for sure.

\- Okay – smiled Gramps. – I'll make some lunch for you two! Don't stay for too long.

\- Oh no we won't – smiled Cleo and pushed Anubis towards the front door. – See you, Gramps!

In the outside Anubis looked at her.

\- I always knew your grandfather was strange – he commented. – like dancing with Hathor at the party without realizing she is a goddess. But this…

\- Oh you'll get used to him – she laughed as they started walking towards the city centre. – Sorry about that name, great Anubis, but we'll have to stick with it if we don't want to draw attention.

\- I do not understand – the jackal nodded his head to one side.

\- Your Grace, here we don't have names like "Anubis" and such – explained Cleo. – So you have to choose a more frequent one. Like Adam. If you like it.

\- I cannot think of any other – said Anubis, accepting his new name.

\- Then there's another one – continued Cleo. – I really don't want to offend you or anything, Lord of the Dead, but we don't call each other like this. We don't say "Your Grace" not to mention "Lord of the Dead", especially not to a guy who's around the same age.

\- But I am… - started Anubis.

\- Yes, I know you're thousands of years old, your Grace – said Cleo quickly. – But you look like a 17-year-old. So please don't get offended but I can't call you in your titles anymore.

-… What strange customs you have – mumbled Anubis.

He never really cared about the titles and such, and he knew that Cleo and the pharaoh would still respect him. Besides, he had to adopt this new environment until he can go back to the Underworld.

 _If that ever happens_ , he thought.

They were getting closer to the center, and that meant soon it was shopping time.

oooOOOooo

\- What is he doing? – whispered Horus to Bastet.

They were standing in the door of the temple, looking at Thoth who was lying on his berth and holding up the bottle of the red ink to his forehead.

\- He is trying to create a connection with it – answered quietly Bastet.

\- With an ink?

\- It is not a normal ink, do not forget that!

\- Okay-okay.

Thoth hissed unpleasantly and put the bottle down.

\- What happened? – asked Bastet.

\- It will not let me in – the ibis sighed in defeat.

\- You're talking about that thing as it was a sentient being – looked Horus at him.

\- Because it is – said Thoth, sitting up. – If it was not one, it could not do this…

He pulled out the golden paintbrush and let a large drop of ink fall onto the floor. In seconds its shape shifted into an evilly smiling face. Horus's lower beak dropped.

\- You wrote that sentence on Anubis's back but when you left, it rearranged itself into the pattern of Banishment – said Thoth as he plugged back the brush.

\- You have to try it again! – said Bastet. – If it can get us closer to the solution, you must!

\- I know – sighed the ibis. – But I am too tired for another try. Let me sleep for a while.

Horus nodded and pulled Bastet out of the temple.

oooOOOooo

This would be his chance! Seth knew he couldn't send his demons there, since they were clumsy and stupid, but he had a henchman perfect for the job.

\- SHADOW GOBBLER! – he howled.

In a few seconds the lion-like monster appeared in front of him.

\- Yes, sir? – he asked.

\- Send your shadow to retreat the red ink from Thoth's temple!

\- What red ink, my lord?

\- It is in a crystal bottle with granite plug and golden paintbrush. Hurry before Thoth wakes up!

\- My shadow is already on the way, sir – bowed the Shadow Gobbler.

\- If I want my plan to work, Thoth must not wake up before time!

\- It will take care of him.

oooOOOooo

\- How's that? – asked Cleo cheerfully.

Anubis was standing in front of a mirror in a big mal and was watching his new outfit. Black T-shirt with a dog on its front, dark blue jeans and black trainers.

\- It looks… strange – he said. – And feels strange too.

\- They're the most common clothes here so you won't attract attention – explained Cleo. – And now to the hairdresser.

\- The hairwhat?

\- The hairdresser, who will change your hair-do – Cleo grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the shop.

\- I do not think it is necessary…

\- Yes it is, Adam – said Cleo. – You want to fit in?

-… Yes.

\- Don't worry, I know a good one.

They went to Juliet's beauty shop. She was the one who was making Cleo's hair-do too.

\- Oh hi Cleo! – she greeted them.

\- Hello, Juliet! – waved Cleo cheerfully. – This is my friend, Adam and he wants a new hairstyle. You know, that's fitting him.

\- Sure, I have time for that – Juliet pulled a chair and waved for Anubis to sit into it.

\- How would you like it?

\- Um… well… - the jackal was confused.

\- We thought we would let you choose it – answered quickly Cleo.

\- Well I do have a good one for him – smiled Juliet. – Can I?

\- Yes, of course – mumbled Anubis, and glanced at Cleo.


	9. Shadow

**In which Anubis really needs to update his vocabulary, and I subject my readers to my horrible poetic skills.**

 **Forgive me.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Shadow_**

5 minutes passed and Anubis still hadn't said a word.

\- Did I do it wrong? – asked Juliet worriedly.

\- N-no – the jackal managed to spit out. – It is just… so strange.

\- Strange? – Juliet nodded her head to one side. – But it's one of the most common hair-dos.

\- I think it suits you! – smiled Cleo.

Anubis looked more closely into the mirror. He could hardly describe his hair. Tresses were set in the shapes of spikes, it almost looked like a hedgehog with very thick spikes.

Yes, he saw many boys with the same hair, but still… it was odd. Well, he just had to get used to this and all the other crazy customs.

\- Uh… yes! – he said quickly. – Yes, thank you! It is really great!

Juliet smiled at him.

Some minutes later they were walking out of the mall.

\- Let's see… - mumbled Cleo. – We got clothes, we got hair… I think it's enough for now.

\- Cleo, I must thank you – said Anubis. – You expand your hard earn gold on me, even though I do not deserve it.

\- Gold? – asked Cleo. – Oh right! Gold! Like money.

\- Money?

\- Our "gold". Dollar. We pay with that.

\- Hm, strange name.

\- Back to the topic. You are welcome, Adam – smiled Cleo. – You're in big trouble, and since you have done so much for the entire world, this is the least you deserve.

\- Do you think so?

\- I **know** so!

\- Hey, Cleo! – shouted suddenly an unfamiliar voice.

Anubis snapped his head in that direction. Two children, a boy and a girl were running towards them. He glanced at Cleo who seemed surprised but happy. Okay, he calmed down.

\- Jake! Natasha! – smiled Cleo. – What are you doing here?

\- We were going to the mall – said Natasha and looked at Anubis. –… Who's this?

\- Uh, he's Adam – answered Cleo. – Just arrived from Egypt. You know, exchange student.

\- From Egypt? – asked Jake. – Cool man! – he shook hands with Anubis. – The name's Jake.

\- Greetings – said Anubis.

\- Natasha – introduced herself the other one.

\- Guys, we gotta go now – said Cleo as he started pushing Anubis. – I see ya later!

\- Bye! – they waved as they walked off.

\- Your friends? – asked Anubis.

\- Yeah.

\- They are kind.

\- Glad you like them. Maybe later we'll hang out with them more.

\- Hang out? From a window?

Cleo burst out in laughing, they had to stop for a moment.

\- "Hang out" means "go to the city and do stuff together" – she explained.

\- Oh. Forgive me.

\- For what? You'll learn these stuff soon. So, what you wanna do?

\- Actually? Can we go home? I want to inspect something.

\- Okay!

And they started walking again.

oooOOOooo

A dark shadow was slipping across the floor. Thoth mumbled something and turned to his other side in his sleep. The creep froze for a second then continued its journey towards the bed. Then suddenly it changed direction and crawled to the cupboard that held the inks.

It seemed the doors of it were opened by a weak breeze. The shadow slipped in but almost immediately got out hissing angrily. It wasn't inside! But it was on the night table of Thoth.

The shadow crept there carefully. When he got close enough it somehow emerged from the ground a little and casted a spell on Thoth:

 _Dream, teller of future and past,  
Make this little nap last  
Longer, to cover our tracks!_

A sparking cloud covered Thoth but nothing else happened. The ibis was sleeping undisturbed.

The shadow then grabbed the bottle of the red ink and slipped out of the temple.

oooOOOooo

Ra wasn't really an easy-to-scare god. He had spent the last ten thousand years (minus that two thousand because of Sleep) fighting Apep, the Serpent of Chaos every **single** night. He had seen the inside of the snake's mouth so many times he could draw it with 100% accuracy, despite his horrible lack of artistic skills. His combat experience was at the peak constantly, if he wanted he could challenge that brat Horus for the throne. Maybe even win it back, the odds weren't really against him. But Ra had long made peace with the turn of events (even if he still hated his past-companion Thoth for that treachery).

Besides, Horus was doing a fine job governing the gods. Not that Ra would admit it loud but still…

Something dark slipped away at the edge of his vision. Ra immediately found himself in a defensive pose, ready to attack or dodge, whichever came first.

Oookay, so maybe his nightly battles made him a little jumpy, because there was literally nothing in that spot. Only Ra **knew** he saw something. He had the vision of a falcon for crying out loud! Something that was black, long and thin like a snake. Something that should **not** be here!

Confused, Ra walked up to the place he last saw that thing, but saw no trace of it. It took him a moment to realize he was standing right next to Thoth's temple. With an annoyed snort Ra wanted to turn around and get the hell out of there before he ran into the ibis god, but then… he reconsidered and actually peeked inside the building. The smaller library seemed in order and in one of the corners he saw Thoth sleeping soundly on his bed.

With a defeated sigh Ra retreated, massaged his forehead and decided to go the pools to ease his mind a bit.

He must have imagined seeing that thing.


	10. Clouds

**In which it is the weather that brings the forecast. Haha, get it? :D**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Clouds_**

Anubis was back in his god form: human body, jackal head. He was in Cleo's room, standing before the mirror, slowly turning around. Cleo and Luxor were sitting on the bed and watched him.

Anubis's entire naked torso was covered with bright red lines that formed geometric patterns. Though the lines on his head were more recognizable. They were longer, and two were running down to his mouth. Cleo didn't want to admit it, but with this "make-up" Anubis was a near perfect reflection of Seth. Though Anubis was a jackal, and Seth was… eh, well… probably between a donkey and a crocodile. But both of them had long faces and sharp teeth.

The jackal let out a heavy sigh.

\- Don't worry – said Cleo quickly. – I'm pretty sure Thoth is working on it!

\- Oh that reminds me! – shouted Luxor. – Thoth and Bastet asked me to give this message: they are working on the solution and are asking you not to give up hope.

\- Alright – mumbled Anubis, looking into the mirror. – Maybe – HOLY FEATHER OF TRUTH! – he suddenly screamed and fell back, bunging his head into the bed.

\- What happened?! – Cleo sprung up and helped the god up.

Anubis stared at the mirror. He was getting mad, he was sure of it. Maybe he was just imagining things. But he would have sworn he was seeing another face in the mirror for a split second.

oooOOOooo

Seth chuckled, holding the bottle of the red ink. He had to admit, Shadow Gobbler's shadow made a good job.

He looked at the ink. If Thoth thought he was the only one who could make contact with it, then he was very wrong.

 _Note to self: stop scaring Anubis out of his clothes_ , he thought, recalling his little trick with a certain mirror from a minute ago, _you need him sane. Sort of._

The God of Wisdom just wasn't tough enough, he soon realized after touching the ink with his mind. The best he could describe the ink was with a word from the modern Overworld: "jerk". It was big-mouthed and as soon as he made contact with it, it started swearing at him and his mother. Oooookay. He had to be rough too. And Thoth couldn't do it.

After two hours full of swearing at each other (Seth almost broke the bottle two times) he finally won. He managed to crush the ink's jerky part with his mind. Now it was a piece of cake.

\- Shadow Gobbler! – he snapped. – Take it back.

\- Yes, oh great Seth! – bowed the demon as his shadow grabbed the bottle and slipped away to the City to place it back to the night table.

oooOOOooo

Thoth woke up with a yawn and stretched out. It felt as if he was sleeping for hours. Anyway, it felt really nice, and he was no longer exhausted. That meant he could continue the battle against the red ink's will.

Oh yes, the bottle. It was on the night table. He picked it up and with a loud sigh he placed it to his forehead. He couldn't give up now. His best friend's and the entire Overworld's fates were at stake.

But he was taken aback. The ink was no longer fighting back. It let him in! Now he could look into the depth of its magic and figure out how it works. And if he knows how it works, he can create the opposite of it.

It was hard at first to navigate through the simple yet shifted mind, but he got used to it soon enough. Now for the even harder part…

oooOOOooo

\- Ugh, I hate this weather – growled Cleo, looking out on her window.

Anubis turned back into his human form.

\- What weather? – he hissed, rubbing the back of his head.

\- When it's obvious that soon a storm will arrive. You know, when those ugly gray clouds can be seen at the horizon.

\- What?! – Anubis sprang up and ran there to look out too.

\- Wow, it's very dark – said Cleo clueless. – Maybe a hail?

Yes, the storm cloud that was coming was extremely dark, almost like the night sky itself. It did look like a hail. Anubis looked at it for a long moment. Yes it looked like an ordinary hail cloud, only it wasn't one.

\- Cleo! – shouted a voice from below.

They looked down and saw Tut as he was climbing up on the tree near the window to get in.

\- What now?! – she growled. She hated when Tut left the museum.

\- Cleo, it's horrible! – the mummy huffed as he got up the branch and climbed in with the help of the two. – I… I saw symbols on the sky!

\- You mean the clouds – stated Cleo angrily.

\- No, **in** the clouds! I saw the symbols of misfortune and demons! – he explained worriedly. – Something bad is coming!

\- Are you sure, sir?! – asked Luxor and he jumped off the bed.

\- Never been so sure before!

\- What is Seth planning now?! – huffed Cleo in annoyance.

\- I do not think it is his doing – said Anubis. – He does not have power over the elements here. Since he is banished.

\- Then what is it?

\- I do not know – the jackal shook his head. – But I hope it will not disturb us.

\- I say it's just a storm – said Cleo. – Let's watch a movie until it's over.

\- I **love** horror movies! – cried happily Tut, immediately forgetting about the omens.

\- What? – Anubis glanced at Cleo.

\- Kids! Lunch! – shouted Gramps from downstairs.

He had prepared spaghetti.


	11. Spaghetti

**In which Anubis has the most epic battle of his life so far at a dinner table.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Spaghetti_**

Anubis had never thought his greatest opponent would be a dish called "spaghetti". Cleo said it was an Italian food. Well, whoever invented it must have been mad. The sauce made of meat and tomato was alright, but those long lines of pasta were a pain. He just couldn't grab them right neither with hands nor with that thing called "fork". Man, it was hard to eat like this.

Cleo realized maybe it wasn't the best idea to start with spaghetti, since the god had never used fork and spoon before and that dish wasn't the easiest to eat either. But she couldn't really do anything to help him. She tried to show him how to eat it, but it seemed Anubis needed more than that. Gramps chuckled at the scene, and the jackal god did something he rarely did: blushed. In front of a mortal.

He couldn't really focus on the meal since he was worrying over the storm. Those clouds were the sign of bad luck and when they showed, nothing good would happen. And he knew the future events will be worse than this big pile of spaghetti, even though right now it seemed impossible to happen.

Even Tut had smaller problems with the food, though he didn't need to eat it. But it would have been very impolite not to attend to it. So after half an hour of endless fighting he finally started to get a hang of it, and managed to finish the meal.

\- Gramps, wanna watch horror movies with us? – asked Cleo.

\- Sure, honey! – he laughed. – I remember my first horror movie. It was about Frankenstein… or was it Dracula?

Anubis glanced at Cleo who smiled and shepherd everyone to the living-room. They sat down on the sofa, in front of that magic picture box, called "TV".

After ten minutes, he was totally confused. The others around him were shivering, laughing and screaming, but all he could see was a bunch of miniature humans running around in a miniature desert from a miniature, hungry mummy. He tried to recall the face of the mummy (he could remember almost every patient he had over the centuries) but he didn't find it familiar. Hm, maybe the Sleeping erased his memories a little bit, or this wasn't an Egyptian mummy. After a couple of minutes he gave up.

The movie was quite long (or at least it was for Anubis) and when it was over, he looked out on the window and saw that the storm had passed without rain or anything. He sighed heavily. Maybe he was getting too paranoid. Yes, it must be it.

\- How was the film? - Cleo asked him.

\- I… did not really understand – Anubis had to admit it.

\- Don't worry – she waved. – It was the same with Tut. You'll get used to it soon.

-… Maybe.

Cleo had to admit he was right. Anubis wasn't like Tut. He wasn't a child, barely living 10 or so years. He was a thousands of years old god, who had a very different mind, but more importantly the customs of the ancient world soaked in more deeply. But it looked like it was her mission to look after lost and/or resurrected ancient Egyptian spirits/mummies/gods so she decided she wouldn't give up so easily. Anubis needed help like a little kid lost in a big place.

\- What should we do? – she pondered. – Tomorrow it's school.

\- He can stay with me – said Tut.

\- At the museum? – asked Anubis.

\- That's not a good idea – mumbled Luxor.

\- Hey kiddo, how about staying with me? – asked Gramps cheerfully. – We can spend a day in the center, eh?

Cleo tried to say something against it, but she realized it was the best idea so far. At least Anubis would see more of Nashville.

The jackal wasn't very fond of the idea. He would have been happy with simply staying here alone but he knew that was very unlikely to happen.

oooOOOooo

\- Any news, Thoth? – asked Bastet.

\- I will not be able to create the anti-ink faster if you keep bothering me every hour – mumbled Thoth.

He was exhausted. Examining the ink was much harder than creating it. All he had to do was mixing a few spells together and voila! But now he had to look into it and figure out how this new magic worked. This was a very hard task even for the wisdom god.

And to make things worse he had to hurry. The balance has been stripped and no one could possibly tell how long the City will last without it. Isis had already reported a giant crack running across the ceiling of the main temple, the home of her family. This was getting serious. And it all started with a simple prank.


	12. Nicole

**In which a batch of cookies bring people together.**

 **One of my personal favorite chapters of the bunch. ;)**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Nicole_**

Anubis always knew humans loved to talk, but Gramps topped everything. It was around 10 in the morning, Cleo had already left for school, and they were walking towards the centre. The old man was telling stories of his life, where he lived, what he was doing when he was a soldier, all these stuff.

The jackal found it fascinating. Being a god wasn't that great. Their life was boring most of the time, doing the same thing all over again. Of course there were times when something unexpected would happen (like the war between Horus and Seth) but these cases were very rare.

And the stories of Gramps were great. Anubis couldn't help but envy the mortal for his life. Travelling through all of USA, serving as a soldier, working in many places, leading a full life, have a family, children, grandchildren… and visiting his parents at least once every year. He gulped to hold back the emotions from his face.

Gramps was laughing loudly.

\- I tell ya, kid, it was great! Sailing down on the Nile, seeing so many awesome temples and places! I've met a great friend on the boat. We'll visit her, okay? Haven't seen her in a while.

\- Fine by me – Anubis smiled.

 _Gramps is almost like Bes_ , he realized. Both of them had some kind of aura that would always cheer everyone up around them.

\- She lives near the centre, you know – the old man went on. – So she doesn't have to travel far to shop. She likes to be herself. I remember our trip together in Egypt. She's a real professional in mythology. Knew every god and goddess. Her favourite was Anubis. You know, the dog-headed guy, Guardian of the _Red_ , or what. I don't know why she liked him so much, though…

\- Actually, that is Guardian of the _Dead_ … - said Anubis quietly.

\- Oh so you like this stuff too? Sorry about that, kid, my memory isn't the best – Gramps smiled cheerfully. – She also told tales about another guy… What was his name? Uhhh, mmmmm, ssssssss… Seth! That's it!

\- Seth? – Anubis stiffened to this name.

\- Yeah, God of Nachos!

\- Chaos.

\- Yup. The bad guy. Donkey-head. She said he was a cruel god, cutting someone to pieces, all these stuff.

\- "Cruel" is not strong enough to describe him…

\- Well, I'm telling ya, kid, these Egyptians had a **wild** imagination!

-… Yeah.

\- Say something about yourself, kid.

\- Uhh… - Anubis was taken aback by the sudden question. – I… well, I have got two great friends, am interested in mythology and history, uh… this is my first time abroad…

\- Really? Wow, you're a brave boy! First time out of your home country and all alone?

\- Yes.

\- That's the spirit, kid! – and he smacked Anubis on the back. – You're a tough guy!

\- Thank you.

\- This is how every teen should do! Getting into new environment, learning how to adopt quickly – Gramps continued. – That's the secret of long life! Living full and freely!

Anubis looked at him, and was about to ask something when Gramps suddenly stopped and started laughing.

\- Oh we've almost passed her house! – he pointed at the door in front of them. – Let's knock!

He took the stairs leading to the front door and pushed a button. Anubis could hear a strange, short music, but after that nothing happened. The door was soon opened by an old lady.

She had snow-white hair, was short but moved surprisingly quick and youthful. Her eyes were deep blue and sparkling cheerfully all the time. She was wearing a blue dress.

\- Joseph! Long time no see! – and they kissed each other on the cheek. – What brings you here?

\- Oh you know – Gramps waved happily. – I'm looking after Cleo and his friend here – he pointed at Anubis –, and we were just in the neighborhood so we thought we'd drop in.

\- Do come in! – she smiled at Anubis and shepherd them inside.

Her home was very similar to Cleo's but it had more Egyptian stuff in it. Papyruses, photos were hanging from the walls, little statues were standing on shelves and everything was in the tones of yellow and brown.

\- My name is Nicole Peterson. And you, young man? – the old lady asked.

Anubis almost bowed before her, as it would have been polite with elders, but he stopped himself in time.

\- I am An—I mean, Adam – he introduced himself.

Something was very lovely about this lady. He couldn't really put his finger on it, though. Maybe her eyes?

\- Adam – she repeated it before smiling once more. – You two are very lucky! I've just cooked a few cookies!

\- Hey, Nicole! Your cakes are the best! – Gramps laughed. – Of course we'll try it!

They went to the kitchen which was also a dining-room. They sat around a table that was very small, it could only provide place for four people. Nicole rushed to the counter near the cooker and lifted up a pan full of fresh, hot cookies. She placed it on the table and took three plates and forks too.

\- It's been a while, Nicole – said Gramps as he took one cake. – What's up?

Anubis quietly munched on a cake and listened to them.

\- Oh nothing – she waved. – I'm too old to travel or even to do anything interesting for that matter. Just the usual. Knitting, watching films, recalling the memories…

\- You still have those old photos? – asked Gramps.

\- Of course! – Nicole laughed. – Wait, I'll get them.

She rushed out of the kitchen. Meanwhile Anubis was looking around and suddenly something caught his eyes. On the wall, just above the door a necklace was hanging. But not any kind of necklace. His jaw dropped.

It was a signet necklace. It was made of gold and was shaped into a scarab. The hieroglyphs was on the beetle's belly, Anubis couldn't see it since it was facing the wall, but he recognized the shape. The wide chain made of turquoise and other gems, the rubies as the beetle's eyes… there was no doubt about it. It was the signet necklace of a god.

Nicole came back, holding a few photos. She sat down and put them on the table so the others could see them too.

\- Oh, remember the Pyramid of Djoser? – she pointed at one picture in which she was standing with Gramps in front of said pyramid. Both of them were much younger.

\- Oh yes! – shouted Gramps. – The step pyramid! Man, that was awesome.

\- Our shoes were full of sand…

\- I sank into it too! I couldn't free my feet without you – laughed the old man.

Nicole smiled at him then looked at Anubis.

\- Is something wrong? – she asked, seeing that the boy was watching the necklace.

\- What? Oh no! – he snapped out of his daydreaming and looked at her. – Could you tell me where did you get that?

\- It's from my last trip to Egypt – she said, recalling that time. – Some old Arabian trader gave it to me because I saved his goods from a thief. He said it was real gold and gems and it's very rare – she started laughing and waved. - Not that I believe that! These Arabs sell you anything and they always say it's real. But I kept it because it looks wonderful. Don't you agree?

\- Oh, definitely – Anubis nodded.

\- She was a tough girl, you know – Gramps leaned to him, smirking. – She could put up a heck of a fight!

\- Well I needed that a few times – Nicole nodded.

\- Didn't the trader tell you where he got it? – Anubis asked.

\- I think he dug it up from the sand – she wondered loudly. – Somewhere in the Valley of The Kings maybe.

\- I see – Anubis murmured.

How could a simple mortal find something like this? Or… did he steal it? No, he couldn't have done it. The owner would have immediately killed him. Besides, they were all Sleeping during that time. He dismissed the idea. Now it wasn't the time to think about these things.

Gramps had finished with three more cakes by the time Anubis ate his. They have discussed every photo. The jackal was listening to them. How wonderful this life could be! Those adventures, the fun, everything. Sometimes he wished he could have a life like that.

After almost two hours Gramps stood up and stretched out.

\- We gotta go now, Nicole. Thanks for the cake, it was awesome! – he smiled.

\- Come back any time you want, guys! – Nicole laughed and went with them to the front door. – This goes for you too, Adam.

\- Oh, okay – smiled Anubis as they stepped and went down the stairs.

-Goodbye! – they waved once more before continuing their walk towards the centre.

Nicole looked after them for a long time.

\- You've grown so much – she whispered then quickly closed the door.

No one could see the teardrop running down on her cheek.


	13. Record

**In which everyone has a pretty shitty night. Sleep tight!**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Record_**

Later that night, after finishing her homework and watching Anubis have an epic fight with the left-over spaghetti, Cleo made her bed and laid down a mattress on the floor with bedclothes. Anubis watched her from the top of the desk, ready to help if she asked. Since last night he couldn't sleep well on the sofa in the living-room, they decided to move him to Cleo's room.

The girl was humming one of her favorite songs, placing a pillow covered with bunny-head patterns at the end of the mattress.

\- This is my favorite pillow – Cleo explained when she saw the curios look on her guest's face. – It was a present from my dad…

\- Then… why are you giving it to me? You should use it.

Cleo gave an odd look then pointed at her bed.

\- You will sleep there.

-… What?

\- Of course I can't let you sleep on the floor!

\- But… I am perfectly fine with that place.

\- I just figured you would be offended if I made you sleep on the floor. I mean it's perfectly normal among friends, but you're a god and all and—

\- Cleo, stop it – Anubis sighed. – I am no longer a god… at least not a normal one, since with my banishments my rights were erased… I am lost and desperate and what I need now is a helpful hand. Forget about my titles, I no longer wear them. Forget about my age, my powers, everything, okay? I want to be Adam, the Egyptian ex—exchange student. I want—would like to be your… friend. I do not need special treatment.

Cleo sighed heavily.

\- An—Adam, you can't give up. Thoth is working on the cure, he will find a way.

\- Even if he succeeds it will take time – Anubis waved his hand tiredly. – Until then I need someone to rely on.

\- You can count on me! – cheered Cleo.

 _*CRASH!*_

The loud noise came from the kitchen downstairs.

\- Uh… that was Gramps… - Cleo looked at the door and bolted out to see what happened.

Anubis stayed where he was, looking out on the window he could see the clear night sky with a few stars and the moon shining down.

oooOOOooo

\- Horus, we really need to talk – Bastet hissed as she dragged the falcon god to a silent corridor of the City.

\- Bastet, we already went over this how many times now?! – Horus tore his hand out of her grasp.

\- No we did not! – the goddess turned to face him, her eyes sparkling with anger. – What you have done is catastrophic! Not just to Anubis, but everyone here!

\- I KNOW IT, OKAY?! – Horus yelled at her. – I hear it for the tenth time, I don't need more to get it!

\- I am just making sure next time you would not do the same mistake! – Bastet snapped back.

Horus was about to say something when the ground began shaking slightly. The two gods looked down at the same time just to watch as a giant crack appears on the floor and stretches out between them, down to the end of the corridor.

Horus slowly lifted his gaze to Bastet.

\- What makes you think there will be a "next time"?

oooOOOooo

Thoth bent over a papyrus, scribing madly with his quill. He was writing down the basic structure of the red ink, which was so difficult even the God of Wisdom had a hard time with it.

He knew he had to hurry but froze when he felt a slight earthquake.

\- Nnooo… - he hissed and went back to writing.

He had so little time yet he couldn't rush. One simple mistake, an overlooked word, one letter in the wrong place and Anubis could sink into Oblivion from where there was no coming back. That would mean worse than death. When you die, your name would be still remembered. But in the Oblivion there is no name, no memory, no person. In that place –or more likely stage – you are erased, destroyed, leaving nothing behind, not even a piece of memory.

If he could, Thoth would have bit his lips, but since he had a long beak it was kind of impossible. In the back of his mind a little thought kept disturbing him. Why did the ink let him in suddenly after hours of trying and failing? Why so suddenly? He dismissed the question. The only thing that mattered is that the ink gave itself up.

oooOOOooo

Anubis buried his face into the pillow. The mattress was surprisingly comfortable, yet he couldn't sleep.

What was he doing? He didn't fit in here, he no longer fitted in the Underworld. He was a complete outcast, desperately searching for some kind of shelter, even for a little while. His situation was hopeless.

 _COWARD!_ a voice (why did it sound like Horus?) yelled at him. _You are using them to get yourself a shelter and you can't even tell them the fate waiting for them!_

He got up and without any noise he slipped out of the room. He needed to walk somewhere. Anywhere. He went down to the living-room. There a box got his attention. It was filled with records.

Records… He walked there and pulled out a green case with big letters on it: JOJO LOTZ.

It was Cleo's favorite. And her dad's too.

 _Why don't you tell her where he is?!_ the voice snapped at him again. _Why don't you answer the question that's mocking her every day?!_

 _For what?!_ he snapped back. _So she can realize there is nothing she can do to save him? He is at… there where no one can help him!_

He turned his attention back to the case and slowly pulled out the wide black disk. It was the first time he went to the Overworld just to have fun. That music… it was so strange yet it urged him to dance… in his lame, awkward way. It was full of energy and happiness no wonder it was Cleo's favourite.

When Bes accidentally broke it, the magic was gone. He saw Cleo, he saw her rushing to the remains of the disk, picking the pieces up with gentle care, tears flooding her eyes. And what did he do? Opened a portal and left. He had the power to make everything right, to fix it with only a snap of his fingers. Yet he didn't do it. Only Bes thought of it.

And Cleo… she isn't mad at him at all, not even after he almost blasted her with a lightning for interfering in the judgment of the little pharaoh. She helps him without expecting something in return.

 _You are a selfish coward! Deep inside you are no better than your father!_

Anubis casted a spell on the room so no noise could escape from it, placed the disk on the record player and pushed the PLAY button.


	14. Feather

**In which things don't get any better, because why would they?**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Feather_**

This was definitely not one of Atum's best days. The ram-headed god of life was in his own temple hidden among three mountains and was receiving news every now and then that the City was slowly but steadily falling apart. Large cracks appeared every day and it was only a matter of time before the buildings would crumble too. Repairing magic didn't work, the gods were growing desperate.

He knew Thoth was doing everything he could to make the cure for the red ink and that they couldn't rush him but it was getting dangerous. If the City falls…

He shook his head. Faith! He had to have faith in the God of Wisdom.

His thoughts wandered to Seth. The God of Destruction and Chaos wasn't living up to his name. He was quiet and inactive. Too quiet. He should be taking advantage of the other gods' despair, attacking the City or at least trying to break through the defenses to reach the Gate that was opened by Tut-Ankh-En-Set-Amun's awakening, the Gate big enough for him to channel most of his power. Seth was up to something but what? He was extremely smart and sly even if he didn't show it and his patience was endless if needed to be.

Atum got up from his throne when he heard a faint squawk and walked to another chamber. There his pet phoenix, the world creator Benubird was resting in her nest. The beautiful blue and purple bird looked like a crane with intelligent yellow eyes and long tail-feathers.

\- What is the matter, sweetie? – he crouched next to the Benubird. – Why did you call me?

The bird lifted her sad eyes to her owner and let out a faint squawk that wasn't anything like her earsplitting voice. She slowly opened her wings.

\- Are they hu—

Something fell out from among the blue feathers. Atum's eyes widened as he grabbed it in midair. He slowly lifted it and examined it as if couldn't believe his own eyes.

It was a feather, yes. But it wasn't blue. It was grey. Dead grey. As if its owner was slowly growing old or… dying.

Atum jumped up and bolted out of the chamber. He called for Bes.

oooOOOooo

Anubis was back in his god form and was sitting by the wall in the bathroom. It was still only dawn, but he could only sleep a few hours after listening to the song of JoJo Lotz. He didn't want Cleo to wake up and see him wide awake so he retreated into the bathroom where he could be at peace. It wasn't looking at the main street so it was quiet.

He sighed heavily. Last night was a torture. And somehow he had the feeling it would only get worse from here.

 _Of course it will!_ he wished Horus' voice would shut up in his head. _You are a coward. From here it's only downhill._

 _Mute it!_ he snapped.

 _Ha! You can't order me around, creep!_

 _Oh yes I can._

 _Like how?_

\- SHUT UP! – he cried to the ceiling then shut his mouth with his hands.

He was talking to himself?!

\- This is the end – he sighed. – I'm going crazy…

A loud flush filled the room and from the toilet a soaked Bes emerged.

\- Bes! – Anubis sprung to his legs.

He immediately forgot about Horus' voice in his head. Finally someone from home!

\- Any news from home? – he asked eagerly, not caring that water splashed on him as Bes shook himself.

\- Bad things – Bes sighed. He was always the most cheerful god among them. When he was sad or worried, something was very wrong.

\- What… bad things? – Anubis ears dropped, he already knew the answer.

\- The City is falling apart. And… - Bes opened his fist, exposing the grey feather.

Awkward silence filled the room. Anubis looked at the feather with terrified eyes.

\- Please tell me it is not…

\- The feather of the Benubird – Bes shook his head slowly. – I'd be lying if I said something else.

\- No… - was all Anubis could say.

The situation was worse than they thought it was. Egyptian phoenixes weren't like western ones. They didn't age and burnt themselves when they became too old, nor did they reborn from their ashes. Their youth was endless, the flow of time didn't have power over them. Their colorful feathers never turn grey.

The main phoenix, the Benubird, creator of the world… was dying? Her life was connected to the world's existence. If this feather really belonged to her, it meant the Overworld was in bigger trouble than anyone could imagine.

\- Seems like everything is on your fa— - Bes tried to say, but was cut off by Anubis' dangerously sparkling eyes. – I mean, **Seth** 's side. But guess what! He's surprisingly inactive.

\- He is up to something – growled Anubis. – Do not let Horus be fooled by that! Do not let him make things even worse.

\- All of us are on high alert – Bes waved. – But unless Seth makes a move, we can't do a thing against him. He's hiding far too well.

\- Yes, I know that – Anubis dropped his gaze to the floor. – I cannot believe it is getting this bad.

\- And getting worse – Bes murmured. – Can't imagine the panic that will spread here once the Overworld is feeling the effects too… I bet Cleo and the pharaoh are already freaked out…

Anubis fell silent.

-… You didn't tell them?! – Bes eyes widened. – You didn't tell them what's going on under their feet?!

\- I… - the jackal stammered, tried to avoid looking into the other's eyes. – I just… I cannot let them know!

\- Anubis, they have the right to—

\- Yes I know! But… it is not certain yet. It is possible that Thoth can make the cure before—

\- Yeah, but that's not sure either! Anubis, they have to know it!

Anubis gritted his teeth. What should he do?

 _Tell them, you idiot!_ the voice hissed. _Oh I get it! You are afraid you'd lose this comfortable peace if they start to panic._

 _I said mute it!_

 _So it's true!_

 _N-no it is not!_

 _Stop lying to yourself!_

 _I AM NOT LYING!_

 _You'd rather choose your well-being than theirs!_

\- Anubis? Are you okay? – Bes' voice broke his inner quarrel.

\- What?! – Anubis' ears shot up. – Oh… sorry, I just… was just thinking.

\- Tell them, Anubis. Please. They need to know – Bes sighed. – I've gotta go. Take care!

And with that he jumped into the toilet and flushed himself down. Anubis gulped and exited the room. The crown of Ra was rising. Anubis turned back into his human form and entered Cleo's room. He found the girl wide awake and lying in her bed, watching that little device she called PocketPC.

\- Oh good morning! – she looked up from it.

\- Good morning – Anubis sat on her bed. – What are you reading?

\- Something about this "Universal Order" – Cleo went back to reading. – It says the Order can only be if all of the gods exist. It almost collapsed when Osiris was killed by Seth.

Anubis' jackal ears would have dropped, had they been visible.

\- That… was a horrible day – he remembered. He still couldn't understand why the sun god Ra aided Seth when it came to the throne.

Cleo put the PocketPC away and got up from bed.

\- I was thinking if you'd like to come with me to a pizzeria after school.

\- A pizzewhat?

\- It's a kind of restaurant that serves up all kinds of pizza, another Italian food…

\- Oh, no thank you. I really do not want more of that Italian food—

\- You will like it, I promise. It's definitely not as hard to eat as the spaghetti – Cleo laughed. – My friends invited me there so I'll go but if you want to I can come home for you first.

-… Okay, I am… eh, on? – Anubis tried to remember that phrase humans used so often.

\- In – Cleo smiled. – "I'm in."

\- Oh right.

\- You will learn these things soon. Especially if you spend some time with my friends too.

Anubis went out of the room so Cleo could get dressed. He went down to the kitchen to have the usual for breakfast: toast and jam, served by Gramps.

\- Good morning, kid! – the old man greeted him cheerfully. – Did you have a good sleep?

\- Yes – Anubis lied. – In the afternoon I will go with Cleo to a… pizzer—eh…

\- Pizzeria?

\- Yes, that one!

\- Okay, kid. Just to give you a hint: that school is awfully long. I guess you should do something 'till then.

\- Like what?

\- Llllikeee… why don't you go out to the mal?

\- Won't you come too?

\- Nah, I need to clean up a little bit here, you know. But thanks for the offer – Gramps winked and left the room.

Anubis looked after him and saw as Cleo runs down on the stairs with her schoolbag on her back.

He stood up and sighed. _Well, time to socialize._

 _You bet, creep._

 _Mute it, chicken._


	15. Family

**In which we pretty much have a trip down memory lane... sprinkled with two familiar and well-hated faces.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Family_**

 _Talking about coincidence_ , Anubis thought as he jumped behind a few clothes.

Two familiar faces appeared in the crowd. Wait, three. Anubis tried to remember their names.

The two kids who "befriended" the little pharaoh not so long ago. And Nicole. The old lady was carrying some heavy-looking bags towards the exit. Anubis was about to go and help her but something told him he should keep his eyes on the two little screw-ups. Now that he thought about it, he shouldn't have jumped behind the clothes.

He rushed towards Nicole and was about to call out for her, but the two kids reached her sooner.

\- Ready, Shaky? – the green haired kid with pale skin and dark T-Shirt.

\- Ready when you are, Buzz – the other replied, his blonde hair reached down to the middle of his back.

Before Anubis could make a move, the two jumped and pushed Nicole out of the way who dropped the bags and almost fell over. The two screw-ups laughed and ran towards the exit.

For a second Anubis' normal human teeth flashed and turned back to the real fangs as he bared them. He stormed after them. Shaky and Buzz ran into an alleyway where they leaned against the wall and could hardly breathe from laughter.

\- This was awesome – Buzz managed to choke out.

\- Oh I see you are very proud of yourself – Anubis said with an icy voice.

\- Oh lookie – Shaky looked at him. – Cool guy with the cool hair thinks he's running the place.

Anubis ran his fingers through his messy and spiky hair then looked at them.

\- You don't remember me, do you? – his voice was dangerously low.

\- From where? – Buzz laughed evilly. – The school? You're one of the nerds?

\- I ssseeeeeeee – Anubis let his human teeth turn back into fangs.

Suddenly with a flash he turned into his god form.

\- How about now?

The two kids screamed like girls.

\- DOGGY DUDE! – Buzz pointed at him with a horrified face.

\- I am not a dog and definitely not your "dude" – Anubis growled. – Last time we met, I thought we had gotten over this! Or do I have to spell it out to you?!

\- S-sp-ell out w-what? – Shaky stammered.

\- TO BEHAVE YOURSELVES! – Anubis' thin patience finally snapped. – TO STOP ACTING LIKE MONKEYS! CAN'T YOU SEE HOW LOW YOU SINK LIKE THIS?! DO I HAVE TO USE VIOLENCE TO HAMMER THIS IN YOUR HEADS?!

The two kids hugged each other and slowly backed away from the 3 meters tall god.

\- Hey doggy du— – Buzz tried to say but Anubis' growl stopped him. – I meeeean, Mr. God, we really did nothing—

\- Except causing havoc and pushing an old lady with heavy bags out of the way – Anubis finished his sentence. – Really nothing, I believe.

Without any warning he shot a beam at the ground just before their feet. The kids screamed and jumped. The jackal repeated it, then without a word he stepped out of the way and gestured them to get out.

After a minute of hesitation and a threatening growl from Anubis the two finally ran out of the alleyway and didn't stop till home.

 _What are you doing, idiot?_ the voice hissed.

Anubis looked after them then at the two smoking holes in the pavement. He shrugged, turned back into his human form and hurried back to the mal.

oooOOOooo

Nicole was still packing the bags when he arrived.

\- Good morning, Ms. Nicole – he greeted her and started helping her.

\- Oh hi, Adam – she looked surprised. – What are you doing here?

\- I was just… walking around when I saw what they did to you – he answered while he grabbed a bag of bread.

She smiled sadly.

\- Yes, they are most unpleasant.

\- I tried to get them but I lost them—

\- There's no need for that. Just let them be, nothing can change their behavior.

 _Except maybe a little threat_ , Anubis thought.

\- Can I help you with them? – he asked when they finished packing.

\- If you want to – Nicole smiled.

She carried one bag while Anubis had the other since she didn't allow him to "drag" both of them.

Nicole's house was only two streets away from the mal. In the kitchen they started unpacking the bags.

\- Take that cheese into the fridge, please… These carrots? Into the pantry, I think… Yes, there, thank you… - Nicole was leading the unpacking, and Anubis happily obeyed. At least he didn't have to think about his situation.

Once they finished, Nicole offered a few snacks and they sat down to the table.

\- I didn't make any cookies recently, sorry – she apologized.

\- It's okay – Anubis said while eating a biscuit, his eyes wandered off to that mysterious necklace.

After a moment of silence, Anubis spoke again.

\- Can you… tell me about your family? – now that he recalled it, he couldn't see any family photos among the ones in the living-room.

Nicole's mouth turned into a sad smile.

\- You see, Adam… it is a very… strange and hair-rising story.

\- Oh… then I don't need—

\- No, my dear, I insist. It's been a while since I could tell it to someone. It feels good sometimes to let the bad things out.

\- Oooookay…

\- You see, when I was young, maybe around 26 or so I met a wonderful man. We fell in love with each other and the year after our first date we got married. It was a great life… until everything went wrong.

\- How?

\- My husband was very ambitious, you know. Especially when it came to his… career. He always wanted to get higher and higher and soon this desire got in the way. In his endeavor he had less and less time for me and became very angry when something, **anything** slowed him down. I tried not to bother with it, to make myself believe everything was alright. But then I became pregnant…

\- From him?

\- Yes. He was furious. With a baby he could not continue his… climbing for a while. When I said I wanted to keep it…

Anubis paled.

\- It was horrible. He said I must abort it, but I refused. It was a little life after all, waiting to see the sunlight, but he couldn't understand it. When I gave birth to our son, I realized he was planning to kill the baby.

\- WHAT?! – Anubis cried out before he could stop himself.

\- By that time the man I once loved had died and only that monster was left behind. I had to do something, but I didn't have much of a choice. I didn't want my baby to get into an orphanage. The only option left was very embarrassing for me. I gave the child to a good friend who didn't have his own kid at that time. I begged them never to tell him who his mother was. I don't know if they kept that promise but they assured me they would raise the child as their own.

Anubis bit his lips. It was so… familiar. Something like this existed among humans too?

\- After that… I escaped from home. Even from the country so I could never meet again with my husband… or my child. It would break my heart to see him, knowing that I couldn't be a good mother and raise him myself. I… just couldn't look into his eyes…

Anubis gently took Nicole's hand as a sign of condolence. Tears were running down on the old face, gaze kept on the table.

\- Every night I think about my son… what he is doing, if he had finished university already… sometimes I wish I could meet him and tell him how sorry I am… to see how much he had grown, what he had become… I wouldn't care even if he yelled at me and hated me… at least I would know that he is fine and happy…

Nicole shook herself, pulled out a tissue and wiped off her tears.

\- Sorry about that… - she said weakly. – I'm a little bit sentimental, you know—

\- I understand – Anubis said softly.

\- Oh look at the time – she waved the tissue towards a clock on the wall. – I believe it's time for you to go.

Anubis looked at the clock. As much as he wanted to stay and make sure Nicole was alright, he had to leave. Soon Cleo's lessons would be over and he had to be back by the time.

\- Yes. Wish I could stay more – he stood up and went to the front door.

Nicole opened it and he stepped out onto the stairs but he stopped and looked back.

\- Ms. Nicole?

\- Yes?

\- I am very sorry – he said. – And I hope your son is fine. I know it means nothing—

\- It means a lot to me – she sighed. – To know that somebody can understand me…

\- Well… I'm sure wherever your son is, he has a good life – and with that Anubis waved and started walking.

Just like last time, Nicole looked after him and whispered:

\- If only it would be true…

Then she closed the door and wiped off another tear.


	16. Cracks

**In which exposition happens and happiness is strictly forbidden around here!**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Cracks_**

Seth had to admit (it was hard to do it even to only himself) Shadow Gobbler was a very useful minion. He was mentally cursing himself for not waking the demon up earlier.

\- Is everything ready, Shadow Gobbler? – he asked the kneeling figure before him.

\- Not yet, my lord – the lion bowed. – The demon clan on the north still needs time to get here.

\- How much time exactly?

\- About one day, my lord.

Usually this is the part where Seth would get really angry but right now it didn't matter to him. Time was on his side.

\- Good, very good – he hissed. – And the craftdemons?

\- They have arrived and are currently working on it, my lord.

Seth chuckled. That special order will really surprise Horus. The craftdemons were masters in creating magical objects, mainly weapons, and he knew they won't disappoint him.

\- The other clans have arrived, I believe – he said.

\- Yes they did, my lord. They are yours to command and ready to fight any time.

\- Excellent… Good job, Shadow Gobbler.

\- I live to serve you, my lord.

\- Tell me when the craftdemons are ready. For now, you are dismissed!

The lion disappeared into the shadows.

oooOOOooo

Cleo entered the house and found Anubis sitting on the sofa.

\- Hi, Adam – she greeted him and put her bag down next to the furniture. – Ready for the pizzeria?

\- I… guess – Anubis shrugged and stood up.

\- Just a second, I get my hair in order and stuff – Cleo ran upstairs to the bathroom.

Anubis waited for her patiently to get ready then together they set off to the journey but not before saying goodbye to Gramps.

As it turned out the pizzeria was near the centre but not on the main street.

\- Man, last sunny day – Cleo sighed as she looked up to the sky.

\- What do you mean?

\- The weather-forecast said tomorrow would be rainy. And they day after tomorrow. And the day after that…

\- Oh.

\- I hate rain, you know.

\- I can understand. Rain has a… negative feeling, even though it is good for nature.

\- Yes, I know, everything has its place in the world. Even Tut, though sometimes I want to send him back to the Underworld.

\- You are telling me? – Anubis laughed, in a really long time. – You don't have any idea just how annoying the other pharaohs were.

\- Worse than Tut?

\- Most of them were much worse, yes. Big-mouthed, full-of-themselves brats most of the time. And then there was Akhenaten…

\- The guy who only believed in the sundisk as a god?

\- Yes, him. It was outrageous. Our priests with our help managed to end that madness. Even Seth cooperated with us at that time.

\- Really?! Why?

\- If Akhenaten had succeeded in spreading that religion, our realm in the Underworld would have been put into Sleep. And Seth wasn't too happy about it.

\- Sleep?

\- Sleep is a… kind of state. When a god realm that was worshipped for enough time is forgotten it sank into Sleep, when gods and goddesses hover unconsciously in Nothing.

\- Sounds awful…

\- The Sleep only ends when that god realm is needed again.

\- So… when Tut woke up…

\- A massive Gate was opened. Seth was the first one to wake up and he took advantage out of it.

\- So that's how he could come up… - Cleo mumbled, remembering the first time they faced Seth and his minions.

\- A part of him anyway – Anubis shook his head. – Although the Gate is massive, it is still not big enough for the One of the Four to channel through all of his power, just a part of it.

\- And with the Scepter he can make it big enough, right?

\- Yes – Anubis nodded. – After his first attempt to get the Scepter from the pharaoh, we woke up and set up a defense around the Gate so he couldn't do it again. Horus is the main force of that frontline, that's why he is very busy. Seth often sends legions to break through.

\- But… the Gate's in the Egyptian Hall of the Museum. Shouldn't be a green swirling thing there?

\- The Gate can be only seen in the Overworld if someone is using it. The same cannot be said for the smaller ones.

\- Once Seth's entire head emerged from a normal gate – Cleo said. – It was when Horus turned Tut into a god and Seth challenged him. I was so freaked out he would just climb out of the gate. It sure looked like it.

\- That was just an illusion – Anubis waved his hand. – He is very good at creating those.

That's when they arrived to the pizzeria. Cleo's friends, Jake and Natasha were already there sitting at their favorite table.

\- Hi guys! – she ran to them. – Remember Adam?

\- He-hello – Anubis said in a low voice.

\- Hey, the Egyptian guy! – Jake stood up and shook hands with him. – Didn't see you at school, you know.

\- Yeah – Natasha nodded.

\- Well… I still need to… arrange a few… what was the word again? – Anubis looked at Cleo.

\- Papers? – the girl was confused but right after that her eyes lit up. – Of course the papers!

Anubis nodded and sat down next to her, on the edge of the sofa-like furniture. There was a round table before them. Cleo gave him a piece of paper called "menu" to choose a pizza.

\- I think I'll eat the usual, guys – Jake said after a minute. – You?

\- Same here – Natasha and Cleo said in unison.

\- I… don't know yet – Anubis mumbled.

\- You should choose this – Cleo helped him, pointing at a "Meatlover" line. – It's full of chicken meat. You'll like it.

\- Ooookay.

The waiter came and took their orders.

oooOOOooo

Horus sighed heavily as he was walking down the corridor. Although he didn't have a very improved conscience like Anubis or Thoth had, his could be a pain sometimes too. Like now. Not just he started this chaos that was currently tearing the City apart but also neglected a duty that was even more important than stopping the demon legions.

He quietly entered a temple and looked around. Hathor, Goddess of Love was standing with her back to him, making her bed while humming an old song.

\- Honey… - he sighed.

Hathor turned around and smiled at him.

\- Hi, sweetie – she walked up to him. – How are you?

\- Terrible – Horus mumbled, looking at the floor.

\- Why is that?

\- I… I am a terrible husband, I know – the falcon finally spat it out.

Hathor hugged his neck and pulled him closer.

\- Why would you be terrible?

\- I love you, honey, I really do, but I just… can't find time for us – Horus held her. – I know it's not an excuse—

\- Yes it is – said Hathor. – You have a very important and hard task and I am very proud of you. Keep on going, you have my support.

\- I… just don't know anymore what to do…

\- Everything will work out. You will see. Nothing has been lost yet.

Horus buried his face into Hathor's hair carefully not to cut her neck with his razor-sharp beak. Hathor was probably the only one who didn't act like he was a criminal. He wished he could stay like this forever, so he couldn't see the chaos in the City.

But then he heard a crack appearing on the ceiling just above them.


	17. Blaze

**In which the downhill ride begins with full speed.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Blaze_**

Cleo was right: this pizza was really the best food he ever had. And the best part of it was that you could eat it with your hands. Anubis could only describe this with one modern word: awesome. The slices of ham and chicken with the tomato sauce topped everything. He loved it.

It seemed the others enjoyed their meal too. Anubis was listening to their conversation, trying to catch as many special phrases and words as he could.

\- And then I was, like, walking on the street when this strange guy jumps in front of me again – Jake was telling something happened to him months ago. – He was a dwarf, you know, with hair that looked dark blue and was wearing dark grey dinner jacket and his skin looked like it was orange.

Anubis managed to swallow his chuckles. According to this description the little man was Bes. The dwarf god loved paying visits to the Overworld and he usually appeared like that in public.

\- And what did he want? – Natasha asked excitedly. – Did he want to rob you?

\- No, on the contrary – Jake explained. – He asked if I needed protection from anything.

\- For real? – Cleo raised her eyebrow.

\- Yup. Then I said no thank you and he just disappeared.

\- There are more and more strange figures out on the street – Natasha said. – My mum's always telling me to be careful.

\- Yeah same here – Cleo nodded.

\- Yo, Adam – Jake turned to Anubis. – Have you ever seen a guy like that? Crazy, huh?

\- Yes it is – Anubis nodded. – But I have met even crazier g-guys. Like the one with the gun in an alleyway of Cairo…

\- A guy with a gun?! – Natasha covered her mouth with her hands. – Did he want to kill you?

\- Actually it was a grown man and yes he tried.

\- No way – Cleo paled.

\- What did you do? – Jake asked.

\- Well, he cornered me and there was no escape – Anubis said. – So I took the only opportunity—

\- You KICKED HIS BUTT with awesome ninja moves! – Natasha cried out happily.

-… What? – Anubis looked at him confused, he didn't know the word "ninja".

\- Hehe, Natasha is kinda funny sometimes – Cleo chuckled.

\- Sorry about that – Natasha blushed.

\- No problem – Anubis nodded and continued. – Actually I jumped up, grabbed the lowest rung of a metallic ladder and kicked him in the face while swinging. After that I climbed up and escaped.

\- Wooooow, man you're awesome – Jake's jaw dropped.

\- Thank you – Anubis smiled.

He was only lying partly. It really happened to him but change the "guy with a gun" to "very dangerous demon with two swords", the "alleyway" to "dead end", "Cairo" to "the Underworld", the "metallic ladder" to "rock cliff", and everything fitted in.

He was very young at the time when during a trip with Isis, Osiris and Horus they were attacked by demons and he got separated from the others. He didn't really know anything about combat (not that he was a professional now) yet he somehow managed to escape from the demon and find the others.

\- For real? – Cleo whispered to him.

\- Partly, yes – Anubis said in a low voice too.

It was Natasha's turn to tell a story.

oooOOOooo

Horus cursed his own existence while heading towards the defense line. He wanted so badly to spend more time with his **wife** yet here he was walking alone to kick some demonbutt. Again.

Since no one was there, Horus let out an earsplitting hawk scream that echoed among the cliffs and dripstones. He was so frustrated he simply couldn't think straight. What was wrong with him? Oh, nothing really. Just that he couldn't spend **one freaking hour** with his wife, Hathor. He was mad. Mad at the demons, at the entire Underworld, but more importantly, at himself.

He himself caused this and he himself had to make it better.

 _I_ _ **will**_ _fix everything_ , he thought, _Let's see… Drag dog guy back to the City, find Seth and beat the everloving spirit out of him, find a way to spend more time with Hathor. What a lovely to-do list I got here._

But right now he had a legion to tear apart.

What he saw caught him off guard. At the defense, beyond the floating spells and runes and one golden line just above the ground, was nothing. Just the usual empty rock fields.

Horus looked around. Where the heck was the legion he was supposed to defeat?! The defense only alerted him when an army was approaching it. So where was that army?!

He growled furiously and stepped over the golden line. Suddenly he felt something light weighted yet agonizingly strong falling onto him.

He blacked out.

oooOOOooo

\- Why does it have to rain? – whined Cleo, standing in the door of the pizzeria with the others.

\- The weather sure changes fast today – murmured Jake, not liking this at all.

\- Anyone got an umbrella? – asked Natasha hopefully.

\- I think Cleo has one – said Anubis suddenly.

\- What? No, I do— – Cleo started to protest, but Anubis winked at him. – Oh, uh… - she reached into her bag to find a smaller umbrella that wasn't hers. – Oh yeah, I totally forgot!

She pulled it out and opened it. To everyone's surprise it was much larger than an average umbrella, all of them could gather under it comfortably. Anubis smiled slightly. It cost little magic to create it. Cleo glanced at him, finally understanding the situation.

\- Well then… let's go – she smiled and lifted it up over their heads.

\- Just escort us to the subway, we will manage from there – said Jake as they started walking.

\- You sure? – Cleo looked at him.

\- Yeah, no problem – smiled Natasha. – I actually like to get soaked in the rain. It is so… adventurous in a way.

Anubis glanced at her. Okay, she was weird. Natasha smiled back shyly, face turning red again.

Fortunately the subway wasn't far from the pizzeria. As Jake and Natasha disappeared under the ground, it started hailing. Cleo looked up fearfully, but the umbrella was not only oversized but also very strong, thanks to the magic that was running through it. The pieces of ice could not do any harm to her and Anubis.

\- Maybe we should check on Tut and Luxor – she shouted over the noise the hail caused.

\- That would be a good idea – answered Anubis.

So they rushed to the museum. This turned out to be a very wise choice as they found Tut messing around with some scrolls. Again.

\- TUT-ANKH-EN-SET-AMUN! – Cleo shrieked as soon as she spotted the little pharaoh in the storage room.

\- Oh hi, Cleo – the little pharaoh smiled at her, holding a scroll. – Greetings, Guardian of the Dead.

\- Anubis – the god briefly nodded, expressing that he wished to be called by his real name.

Cleo stomped there and snatched the papyrus away from the mummy.

\- Cleo, what are you doing?! – snapped the pharaoh, jumping to his feet. – I was trying to—

\- Mess around with another ancient spell?! – finished Cleo his sentence as she absent-mindedly gave the scroll to Anubis. – How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?!

\- It is simple weather magic – Anubis murmured, reading the papyrus. – Don't tell me you caused the hail…

\- No, I was trying to chase these demonic clouds away! – shouted Tut angrily. – I was trying to help, you know!

\- What demonic clouds? – Cleo's eyes widened.

\- He has been trying to change the weather all day – Luxor got into the conversation, hopping down from a crate where he was taking a nap.

\- Cleo, the omens in the clouds are back! – continued Tut. – They show something very bad is coming!

-… Seth? – Cleo's eyes wandered off to Anubis.

The god shivered under her gaze but did not show it.

\- No, I don't think so. It's not his style to warn the mortals about his evil doings.

\- Good point – she nodded.

\- Then why are the clouds here? – snapped Tut, forgetting that he was talking to a god.

\- I… don't know – Anubis looked away, putting the scroll back to its crate.

 _You are so stupid and selfish_ , the voice hissed in his head.

 _Gee, I was wondering when you would show up again,_ Anubis spat.

 _You are sooo going to regret your decision!_

 _Silence,_ was Anubis' answer.

\- Something is not right here – murmured Cleo.

\- I agree – Luxor's fur puffed up. – Something bad is in the air.

\- See? I told you! Whether it is Seth or not, it will bring only trouble – Tut mumbled, pouting.

\- Maybe we should check the Underworld – offered Luxor.

\- Brilliant idea, Luxor! – Tut smiled and pulled out the Scepter of Was from his bandages.

Before Anubis could stop him, the little mummy knocked its head against the floor. Green light flashed and a portal appeared. In the same moment a mysterious force rammed into Anubis, sending him flying across the room, smacking into the door. He screamed in agony as the red marks flashed up on his human skin, blazing red, burning him endlessly. Cleo gasped in horror as she ran to him, trying to help him somehow.

\- TUT, CLOSE THE PORTAL! – she shouted desperately.

\- It's already closed! – came the reply.

Anubis was still in pain. The red lines on his face were shining brightly as if they were pure fire, tearing at his very essence, causing him to struggle uncontrollably. Just when he thought he could no longer bear it… it stopped and he fainted.


	18. Yielding

**In which some light FINALLY gets shed on the matter. Some, at least.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Yielding_**

Seeing Anubis in such pain made Cleo realize why Seth never attempted to come through a portal he himself opened. But… if it caused this much agony to Anubis just by standing too close to a portal, how comes Seth could be near one without any trouble? She had to wait for that answer.

When Anubis finally stopped screaming and struggling, Tut lifted his motionless body up with the Scepter's magic. They had to take him home, but they could not just drag him around on the streets… though maybe the hovering body, surrounded by blue light was even more unusual. Still it was a faster way, so Cleo had to agree upon it. They sneaked out of the museum through the back door into a park, avoiding any busy corridors and paths. Luxor was cursing himself for suggesting the portal-opening to the pharaoh. They should have known something like this would happen, after all this red ink-stuff restrained Anubis from entering into the City, to where the green swirl actually led. The hail stopped but now it was raining again (despite the weather-forecast's claim), making everything, including our heroes, wet and muddy.

When they finally got home, it was raining so heavily they could hardly see anything. They arrived completely soaked as the umbrella disappeared the moment Anubis fainted. This entire day suddenly felt like a complete disaster. Tut quickly laid the still fainted Anubis down onto the sofa before Gramps could see them. But they didn't have to worry as the old man was snoozing peacefully in the master bedroom, despite the heavy rain.

Cleo grumpily went to change clothes while Luxor and Tut fell back into the bathroom, the former drying the latter with a hair drier. When she rushed back downstairs to check on Anubis, the god had already came to. Gramps was sitting before him on a chair that he pulled there, giving him a cup of hot tea.

\- There you go, kid. Don't worry, it will make you feel better soon – the old man encouraged Anubis with a smile.

\- Tha-thank you – the god whispered and took the cup with shaking hands.

Cleo rushed there:

\- Are you alright?

\- Well… no, not really – moaned Anubis, taking a sip from the tea.

\- What happened? – asked Gramps.

\- I—I'm not sure – murmured Cleo, desperately trying to come up with something.

\- Nothing serious – Anubis rushed to her help. – I… I just felt dizzy all of a sudden. Maybe that pizza was not the best for me…

\- You ate too much? – asked Gramps.

-… I don't know. It's possible.

\- Okay, kid – the old man patted Anubis' knee. – Drink that tea, rest much and you will be back in shape in no time.

Tut and Luxor joined the group. Anubis gritted his teeth as he felt another wave of weakness wash over him. He didn't want to faint once more.

\- I've always had this sixth sense – said Gramps, dead serious. – I can even wake up from a dream when something is not right. I can sense it every time. This day is like that, too.

 _*KA-BOOOOMMMMM*_

Luxor jumped into the air from the thunder.

\- Looks like you stuck here for a good while – Gramps looked through the window.

When he went out of the room, Tut didn't know how to apologize to Anubis. The god, having an unpleasant headache, shut him up quickly.

\- Come on, guys, let's leave him alone for a little while – suggested Cleo and the trio retreated into her room.

There Cleo immediately pulled out her PocketPC and looked up the article about the Universal Order once more. She quickly read it but didn't get cleverer at all.

\- I don't get it –she murmured. – If the clouds are not Seth's doing then what is it?

\- Maybe we are just overreacting it? – asked Luxor, not sure about it at all.

\- There were other times with big storms – frowned Tut, remembering some of them when he got soaked on the streets. – Those clouds were simple clouds.

\- Do you think Anubis' banishment has to do something with it? – Luxor looked at Cleo.

\- Maybe. This Universal Order might have been tipped over… but it doesn't make any sense – Cleo scratched her head. – It says that the Order and the world along with it almost got destroyed when Osiris was killed by Seth. Killed, not banished. Seth was banished as well, but that didn't affect the Order. UGH! – she flung herself onto her bed. – This doesn't make any sense! Aren't the clouds telling you what they warn of, Tut?

\- Nope. All that's in them is: beware.

\- Great. Beware of what?! How are we supposed to prepare to it if we don't even know what to expect?

\- Be ready for everything! – shouted Luxor excitedly. –… What? I heard it in a movie.

\- Yeah, easier said than done – growled Tut.

\- Forgive me, sire…

\- I can't watch over a god and save the world at the same time – moaned Cleo, face buried into the pillows.

oooOOOooo

Anubis had to restrain himself from blowing the cup to pieces. The pain, that stupid Horus-like voice in his head, the weather and the clouds were beginning to wear his patience out.

 _Would you shut up already?!_ he technically roared.

 _No, I will_ _ **not**_ _shut up until you do what I tell you to do!_

 _What, are you my mother or something?_

 _I'm your freakin'_ _ **conscience**_ _, idiot! I can't be your mother, you can't even recall her voice!_

 _Oh so that is my fault now too!_

 _Wha—no! I'm just saying I can't have the voice of your mother since you don't even remember her._

 _I do remember her!_

 _Oh yeah? Then how did she look?_

 _She… she had blue eyes. Deep blue eyes…_

 _Yeah, that's a lot._

 _Shut up. Just shut up. My head is about to split up, I can't make a move without pain and I can't even think straight! Why can't you show me mercy just this once?!_

 _All I ask you is to tell them_ _ **what the hell**_ _is going on below their feet!_

 _Shut. Up._

 _Anubis!_

 _Shut up! What part of "shut up" do you not understand?!_

 _Neither. Just tell them! So they will know what to expect!_

 _FINE! Fine! Just shut that cursed mouth of yours!_

 _Gladly, if you do it._

That was it. His conscience teamed up with the pain in his body and the two of them finally made him give in.

\- CLEOOO! – Anubis shouted, a little more demanding then he wanted to.

Cleo, Tut and Luxor rushed down.

\- Yes, what is it?

\- Get some chairs. I… I must tell you something – Anubis finally said it in submission.

They gave him a puzzled look but obeyed anyway. When they gathered around him, Anubis pushed himself up slightly with his arms, leaning on the elbows.

\- I… Where to start? … Okay, so the Underworld and Overworld are in very big danger because I got banished.

\- What do you mean? – asked Tut carefully.

\- Those clouds are not the doings of Seth or any demon. They show that the Universal Order has been tipped over and soon both worlds will fall if all things won't get back to normal soon.

\- Bu-but… this doesn't make any sense! – Cleo grabbed her head. – The Order was split when Osiris got killed…

\- That was a race against time. Everybody was on edge then – Anubis recalled those weeks, when he and Isis desperately searched for the body parts, trying to save not only Osiris but the world as well. Of course Horus was completely useless back then.

\- But Seth's banishment did nothing to the Order! How comes now in your case it is tearing everything apart?

\- Good question – Anubis nodded tiredly – And hard to explain. Let's see… at that time of the whole thing with Osiris, Horus and Seth, things were different. We lived among the humans, existed in their world back then. We have been that layer of society that later became the aristocracy. Osiris the pharaoh, Ra the Head Priest, etcetera, etcetera… Now, you must know that the so-called balance of the Universal Order is at the place where all the gods are. At that time this balance was in the Overworld with us. All that later became myths happened to us on the banks of the Nile, from Isis tricking Ra, to me being raised by her to the war between Horus and Seth. After Horus won, Seth was banished into the desert as you know. But since the desert is a part of the Overworld, it did not split the Universal Order because all gods were still in one dimension, one world.

\- Oh I get it! But now that you are—

\- Precisely. When the humans started to grow in number, we decided that they can live without constant overseeing, so we, the gods, spirits, guardians and demons retreated into another realm that is known as the Underworld. Seth fell back there as well, even though up to this day he can't enter neither to the City nor to the Overworld.

\- Soooo – Tut was concentrating very hard to get this right. – The balance of the Order is now in the Underworld.

\- Yes.

\- So when you were banished into the Overworld the balance got destroyed and both worlds will fall with it.

\- Yes.

\- So we are going to die permanently unless you get back into the City.

\- Precisely.

Cleo became very pale.

\- Tut, try to reach the gods with the Scepter at the museum. Find out how close Thoth has gotten to the solution – she ordered, but her voice shook madly.

This time the little pharaoh didn't argue at all.


	19. Tense

**In which plans change, stuff collapses and nobody is happy about it. Gee, I wonder why.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Tense_**

\- Huh, look at Mr. Kickbutt Turkey – a very ugly, doglike demon laughed as he dragged a heavy load onto a cart. – Not so tough now, eh?

\- You think the Big Boss wanna kill him personally? – asked his companion, that was more like a hyena. – Cuz I wouldn't mind using the dude as a cat pole. I've been planning for long to do it.

\- Eh, you think I don't wanna kick him around? But Big Boss said we must not hurt him. He would have our heads if we disobey.

\- Damn Seth and that power of his. He always ruins our fun – growled the hyena as he hit two extremely ugly, hippo-like animals with his whip to set the cart into motion.

Their heavy load was the motionless body of Horus, Guardian of the Overworld, fainted, covered in a silver net that had a silky touch.

\- I gotta admit, those craftdemon dudes sure know how to make these gadgets – murmured the dog. – Who would have guessed a net can take out Turkeyman here.

\- That nifty little net was an awesome idea. It probably has some badass magic in it – agreed the hyena, carefully navigating the hippo-things among the razorsharp rocks and cliffs that changed somewhat the sight of this barren wasteland.

The Underworld, except around the City was not a pleasant place to live. Not even most rivers and lakes were safe as most of them spat fire, were deadly poisonous or even alive as they just ate the one who dared bothering their surface. You had to be tough if you wanted to survive here. Therefore those demons that lived in this place were very dangerous even to gods.

\- Think about what party the Big Boss will throw once he finally kills Turkeyman – the dogdemon brushed his hands together, slightly drooling. – I can hardly wait for the feast.

\- Aye! It will be a big victory for us – nodded the hyena.

Suddenly out of nowhere the Shadow Gobbler appeared before the cart, making it stop. He then slowly and casually walked up to the two demons.

\- New orders from the Lord of Chaos – he barked. – You two are going back to your posts! I will handle the hostage from here.

\- Eh, what posts, smartbutt? – the dog spat onto a nearby rock. – We have been given this task only, we ain't have any other stuff to do.

\- What partner here says – added the hyena. – How 'bout we escort you to Big Boss?

\- Oh that is too bad then – Shadow Gobbler's face suddenly darkened.

Before the two demons could react, he opened his dreaded cape, grabbed their shadows with the two corners of it and gobbled them on the spot. The two demons fell off the cart dead.

The lion monster, like nothing had happened, slowly walked around the vehicle to find his prize in the back.

\- Hello, my greatest trophy ever – he smirked at the still fainted Horus.

oooOOOooo

Anubis had yielded to the pain and his conscience and now he was waiting for the chaos to break out, bracing himself for the screaming, shouting and running up and down. But it never came.

Cleo, albeit shocked and scared to hell, kept her cool, sending the right now obedient pharaoh and Luxor back to the museum to make contact with the City. After that trouble with the portal and Anubis, they didn't dare to mess around with a Disk. It might just cause similar effects. When the two of them left, with a real umbrella this time, Cleo's phone rang.

\- Hello? … Oh, hi mum! Yes, yes… What? … You sure?... Oh okay, fine, sure thing, don't worry… Yes, I am fine, don't worry, okay? … Love you, bye – and she hung up.

\- What happened? – asked Anubis as Cleo quickly stood up from the chair, looking for something.

\- Mum is in Los Angeles on a meeting, and she said she might stay there for longer than—There it is! – Cleo snatched up the remote controller and turned the TV on. – The weather is very bad there and it seems it will last for long.

News went on all channels, most of them interrupting other programs. Mother Nature had gone wild. Anubis let his head fall back onto the pillow as he let out a sigh in defeat. So it had begun.

Windstorms with record breaking force and speed wreaked havoc everywhere in the USA, it was raining heavily in the middle of the desert, the Mississippi and other bigger rivers flooded. The docks of Los Angeles were underwater. Flights had been cancelled in all of the airports. Her mum stuck there. Cleo bit her lower lip. This was really bad. And she guessed the other continents weren't in better shape either.

This time not only her city but the entire world was at stake.

-… Anubis? Is this…

\- Yes, this is it. I can't even imagine the shape the City is in.

oooOOOooo

Hathor screamed as she jumped like a tiger, avoiding a large piece of a stone wall just in time. The part of a temple hit the ground with such force that the entire City shook. The cow goddess rolled over her back and sprung to her legs. Being the wife of a warrior seemed to be paying off.

The destruction of the City sped up all of a sudden, it seemed.

\- Hathor, are you alright? – Bastet rushed there.

\- Yes, just fine – Hathor dusted her clothes off, trying to remain calm. – But this is not good at all. Horus should have returned by now!

\- You mean… he has just **disappeared**?! – Bastet's fur puffed up in rage.

\- No! I mean yes… I mean… The defense line gave off a distress signal and he went to check it out. Usually he is back rather quick. Something must have happened to him!

\- Or maybe the demon army is bigger this time – murmured Bastet. – Should I go after him?

\- That would be great, Bastet – Hathor looked at her with pleading eyes. – You are fast, I am sure you will catch up to him. Just be careful!

\- I will – Bastet shouted over her shoulder as she was already running to change her clothes quickly. Of course she wasn't going to go out in this dress! Oh no, she had some clothes perfect for the Underworld's wasteland.

oooOOOooo

Thoth cursed as he snatched his pen away from the papyrus just in time as a tremor shook the whole City. One single mistake and Anubis, and everybody else for that matter, is dead. That was it, he decided. He could not work in an environment like this. So he divided his attention: focusing on creating the cure for the red ink and concentrating on keeping the chair and the desk up in the air, hovering above the ground.

He wasn't very good at multitasking, but he had to do it now, in order to provide the tranquility (of the table's surface).

Suddenly a Disk appeared right in front of his face, making him nearly mess the whole spell up and dropping the table and chair down.

\- Pharaoh! – he snapped, his usual calmness nowhere to be found.

\- Uh, forgive me, God of Wisdom, but things are getting very bad up here – the little mummy said quickly. – I was wondering whether or not the cure for the red ink—

\- Is not yet ready! – Thoth interrupted. – Do not waste my time!

\- So-sorry – the pharaoh scattered and the Disk immediately closed.

Thoth sighed heavily. He did not mean to scare the pharaoh off but right now his patience was very thin and he was tired and worn out. He was in desperate need of rest but that would mean the end so he pushed himself harder.

Just a little more.


	20. Trophy

**In which we learn just how hard it is to move around with a jar.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Trophy_**

Bastet sleeked across the wasteland like a shadow, fast as lightning and elegant as a… well, cat. A very angry cat in an awesomely sexy outfit that had trousers instead of a skirt.

She was sure Horus ran away. Why would the falcongod suddenly take the responsibility for his actions? She bet that "defense line alert" was just an excuse for him to escape. What a wimp!

Her suspicions grew stronger when she arrived to the Gate. The defense line was untouched but Horus was nowhere to be found. So he did ran away… with a cart?

She crouched down, examining the tracks of the cart's wheels that led from the defense line into the distance. Looking closer at it, just over the golden line there was a wide mark in the dust, as if something big fell there. Bastet's ears shook nervously. What had happened here? Why did that print have the shape of a human body? Obviously it was dragged to the cart… Oh, heavens no…

Bastet sprung to her legs and called out mentally.

\- _Horus! Horus, where are you?! Answer me, Horus!_

No answer came.

\- _Horus, I swear to all that is holy and sacred that if you are just playing around, I will pluck you!_

\- _Ba…_

- _… Horus?! Is that you?_

\- _…astet… I… -apped in…_

\- _Horus, what is wrong? I can hardly hear you!_

\- _Trap… urn… Sh…ow La…_

- _… Shadow Lair?_

\- _Sh…dow G…ler…_

\- _Hang in there, Horus! I am coming!_

Bastet launched herself like a rocket, running across the wasteland with the highest speed she could muster. She had a faint idea of where the Shadow Lair was, but nothing certain. She had to get there as fast as she could nonetheless, as a very bad feeling washed over her.

oooOOOooo

 _"_ _You will be my greatest trophy ever, Guardian of the Overworld."_

Horus cursed in ancient Egyptian as he tried once more. Moving an urn someone just imprisoned you in was no easy task. Horus couldn't do much but swear at Shadow Gobbler and everything connected to him from his mother to his shadow. Since when did that demon of the Underworld have the guts to **imprison** a god in a freaking **urn**?!

\- Stupid, crazy, superthin lionheaded creep! – the falcon hissed. – If he thinks he can keep **me** as a **trophy** , he's even crazier than Seth!

He thanked Atum his symbol was the Eye of Horus. When Shadow Gobbler imprisoned him, his symbol appeared on the wall of the urn, telling who was inside. But Horus could use that to look around, realizing he was in the Shadow Lair, on a shelf inside one of the ruined temples. His prison was surrounded by different kinds of demon body parts and jewels (obviously they were worn by the victims once). Shadow Gobbler made Horus want to hurl even more than Seth did sometimes.

He knew this place very well. There were times when he personally kicked the demon back here if that creep became too cocky. He knew it was very hard to get down here, though the climbing back was easier a little.

After bringing the god here and forcing him into his prison, Shadow Gobbler left to… join something, believing that now Horus was helpless. The urn suddenly shook then fell down from the shelf onto the ground.

With some grunting and moaning Horus managed to stand up. He huffed but was far from giving up.

Had someone been outside, first he would have heard strange noises like "calapp calapp" and then would have seen an urn bouncing out of the largest ruin.

\- If that - _*calapp*_ \- bastard thinks - _*calapp*_ \- he can stop me - _*calapp*_ \- HE WILL BE VERY SURPRISED! – Horus shouted, interrupting himself with one jump at a time.

He _calapp_ ed out to the yard then headed towards the base of the giant dripstone that held this entire place. The pillar-like formation was like stairs with very hard steps. It was still better than if had been slick like ice.

Horus looked up on it then with a determined sigh he started climbing… er, jumping. He just hoped Bastet got his message and was already on her way to here. Something was bothering him. Why did the Shadow Gobbler bring him here instead of taking him to Seth? After all Horus had been helpless thanks to that strange net that paralyzed him entirely. Didn't his good old uncle think that he could take Horus out very easily this way? Or… did Shadow Gobbler actually disobey an order?

 _Wow, he is sick_ , the falcon mumbled to himself. He knew Seth, the chaos god would never pass an opportunity like this. Oh well, sucks to be him right now as Horus is going to find a way out of this cursed urn, and when he does, he is going to wipe the floor up with every single demon in the Underworld. And with his beloved uncle of course. Seth will be a perfect punching bag for him to channel his anger.

Woah woah WOAH! Oh, heavens… the urn almost fell from the small cliff. He had to be more careful, but it was very hard to balance with this thing.

oooOOOooo

Bastet jumped from cliff to cliff, desperately trying to figure out which way to go. She knew the Shadow Lair was somewhere very deep, but where exactly? It was on a dripstone (she guessed), but where was that? And what was that noise? It was faint but felt like a storm cloud slowly approaching. Bastet wished she could check it out, having the curiosity of a cat, but she didn't have time for this.

She kept jumping up and down until finally she spotted a glimpse of the Shadow Lair through a hole in the ground. Wow, it was pretty deep, hanging over the Abyss, the giant chasm that held the Nun, the Ocean of Nothing in its bottom.

 _*Calapp*_

Something small was jumping up the dripstone. Small and brown.

 _*Calapp*_

Bastet rushed to where the cliff started and looked down. It was an… urn?

\- _Horus?_

\- _Goo… are here._

\- _Hold on!_ – Bastet ordered as she started to descend on the giant rock. – _Are you alright?_

\- _Do I look alri…?_

It seemed the mental connection was getting stronger as she was nearing to the urn.

\- _No, you do not. What happened?_

\- _Get me out o… -ere first_!

\- _Fine fine fine!_

Bastet finally reached the cliff where the urn stood, carefully grabbed the small thing and started climbing up. Wait… the dripstone was shaking slightly and the mysterious rumble was getting louder every second. Bastet panicked and with a few long jumps she was on the surface again, looking for somewhere to hide. Whatever was coming, it just couldn't be good.

She slipped in between to cliffs, melting into the shadows in her dark brown clothes just in time.

The rumble grew into a roar as its source arrived. An entire army of demons. Not just a smaller horde or a group. An entire army…

Bastet's eyes widened.

\- _Oh, by Atu…_ \- Horus would have gulped, had he been free. But the urn could only be destroyed with a special spell.

It seemed every single demon from the Underworld came and all of them headed towards the Gate. Smaller ones, larger ones, dogs, jackals, hyenas, lions, monkeys, all kinds of birds, evil spirits and leopards were all there. Now that Horus was out of the way, it was time for an assault. The defense line alone was not enough, they would tear through it in a matter of minutes.

Bastet must have realized it as well as she suddenly bolted out of her hiding place, climbing higher, jumping from rock to rock over the endless sea of monsters. They had to return to the City as fast as they could.


	21. Downfall

**In which it's time to step it up!**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Downfall_**

\- What?! It's not ready yet? – Cleo technically shouted in her mobile phone.

\- Yeah, and Thoth seemed pretty angry. So I decided not to bother him more – answered Tut, using one of the phones in the museum.

\- Great. You two should come back here before the weather gets even worse. The entire world went crazy. It's better if we stay together.

\- Ugh, fine – the pharaoh didn't like the idea of going back to Cleo's house in this weather.

They hung up.

Cleo threw herself onto the sofa, after Anubis was finally able to sit up. The god still looked rather pale and weak, but at least the marks disappeared.

\- Okay, I'm officially out of ideas – the girl sighed in defeat.

\- There are times when even the best intentions cannot help – Anubis nodded briefly. – It's all on Thoth now. We can't do anything.

\- But this is so frustrating! – Cleo suddenly shouted. – We have always been able to make things right! Why not now? I feel so useless.

Anubis looked out on the window. The pavement was under the water by at least 5 cm.

\- I know – he sighed. – You three have always been very… brave. Reckless, even.

\- Guess this happens if you spend too much time with Egyptian mythological creatures – Cleo shrugged.

\- Others would have backed away from it by now. Why don't you?

\- Because it is my responsibility.

\- Cleo, you are not responsible for the entire world.

\- Yes I am. I started all of this when I resurrected Tutenstein.

\- It was unintentional.

\- Yeah, well that doesn't mean I can let everything go wild.

\- You are still taking too much responsibility for it.

\- No I'm not—

\- CLEO CARTER, LISTEN TO ME! – Anubis suddenly shouted, his teenage boy voice changing back to the original.

The god sprung to his legs, transforming into his real form. His eyes were blazing with impatience and annoyance. Cleo pulled her head in between her shoulders from fear as she looked up the nearly 3 meter-high being.

\- You are just a child! – Anubis growled. – A mere child who should worry about common problems like hanging out with friends and going to school! Not chasing around demons and spirits and trying to save the world from devastation even when it's obvious you can't. You deserve a normal life, yet you waste it on complete losers like me – suddenly all of Anubis' power vanished like vapor and he fell back onto the sofa in his teenager form again, becoming very very quiet. – I don't deserve the least of your attention. Not after what I've done to you and your friends. I… I never wanted to cause any harm to anyone, but I always manage to do it. I'm just… annoyed that after all I've done to you, you still waste your time on me, a freaking **god** for Atum's sake! I don't want to have your attention, yet at the same time I cannot leave – another heavy sigh. – Guess I am this greedy. The last thing I want is to be a burden to anyone, yet here I am, being completely useless.

Cleo relaxed when Anubis fell back onto the sofa, but now she was even more worried. Was he sick or something, saying things like that?

\- Why? – she asked carefully. – What have you done to me and my friends?

Anubis glanced at her, eyes filled with endless fatigue.

\- What, you ask? Nearly blasted the pharaoh and you with magic and lightning, not helping when Bes broke your favourite record… being completely useless during the Sed Festival…

\- So?

\- So what?

\- That's what I'm asking too – Cleo smiled a little. – So what? Yes, that blasting stuff was scary and all, but you did many more things, not only for me.

\- Like?

\- Really, am I the one who has to remind a god to his duties? – Cleo stuck her tongue out childishly for a moment. – You help the dead reach peace. You restrain Ammut from eating everyone's heart. You guide the spirits if they got lost. You and Thoth looked after Tut, even if in your very strict way. And you help keep the balance of the Universe, giving everything in the Overworld a new chance every day to keep on existing. I don't see why you wouldn't deserve my attention. You might be right about me taking too much responsibility, but you are definitely wrong about yourself being useless. Gramps would agree on that.

Anubis stayed silent.

\- Besides, mum always taught me to help those who are in need. And whether you like it or not, you desperately need help, even if you are a god. You said it yourself: you gods are not all that almighty and such as we humans believe. I too used to think the same. But when Tut came and we defeated Seth for the first time… I realized that you can be weak as well. That even gods need help and support sometimes, especially in a world that is foreign to them. I know you have your own problems, that's why I'm trying to restrain Tut and any demon or spirit that wanders into the Overworld. To help you as much as a mortal can.

\- You are one crazy girl, Cleo – Anubis sighed, but smiled slightly.

\- I know – Cleo shrugged. – It's a very important requirement for this life, I guess.

Anubis grinned and closed his eyes.

oooOOOooo

\- _Turn ri… !_ – Horus shouted mentally from the urn. – _Take th… path over there!_

Bastet tried her best to follow the falcon's instructions. She had no idea where they were but she didn't bother to stop and look around.

The path Horus talked about really led to the City. Bastet practically burst through the main gate, running to the central temple, the home of the Royal Couple, Isis and Osiris. Back in the old days it was Ra's but the sun god gave it them, as an apology for taking Seth's side during the trial of Horus and Seth. It wasn't like the ancient falcon god regretted his decision (because he didn't), but as a formality, it had been necessary to at least keep up the small amount of peace among the gods.

\- ISIS! – Bastet cried, dashing inside the temple, scaring the spirit out of said goddess. – You have to help, Horus is stuck in this urn and an entire demon army is heading towards the Gate!

Isis froze to her spot but then immediately snatched the urn out of the cat goddess's hands.

\- Honey, are you alright in there?! – she shouted at the Eye of Horus.

\- _Muuummmm, I'm fin… Just get me out o… here!_

\- Oh, thank Atum!

Isis gently placed the urn onto the floor then stepped back. Being a trained magician, she knew how to free somebody from a prison like that. She pointed at the urn and said the Egyptian word for "release". The little brown object immediately blew up into pieces, sending Horus flying across the hall, smacking onto a table.

\- Ooohhhh, that hurt – he moaned but got up nonetheless with Isis's help.

\- What has happened? – Bastet rushed there.

\- Demons happened. Craftdemons – Horus hissed angrily, rubbing the shoulder he landed on. – They used some kind of net that paralyzed me then they wanted to take me to Seth.

\- And?

\- And that damn Shadow Gobbler came along, killed my guards and took me to the Shadow Lair as a trophy. And—OUCH! – he shouted and grabbed his forehead. – They broke through the defense line!

The golden magical line gave off one more very powerful distress signal to its guardian, before it was obliterated.

\- Then we have no time to waste! – suddenly Osiris hovered into the picture, making everybody jump.

He rarely moved around, and when he did, he was always flying as his legs were tied together in bandages.

\- Don't… do that, Dad! – Horus snapped.

\- I am sorry, son – Osiris nodded briefly, dead serious as always. – But we have to act quickly. Gather every god into the Assembly Room right now!

The three lesser gods immediately scattered to tell the news. Soon everybody, save Thoth, ran to the hall where Osiris was waiting.

\- We must divide our forces – boomed the King of the Underworld's voice. – The Overworld must be saved but in the meantime the City needs protection too, should the demons attack it as well.

\- The main force should still be in the Overworld, I say – Atum added, turning everyone's attention at him. – So every man should head there. We cannot risk all those innocent lives. We must banish the demons back to the pits of the Underworld!

\- Right! – all the gods nodded in agreement.

\- Horus, stay here as well – Ra ordered. – The women will need someone who has great experience in battle.

Horus tried to protest but eventually he shut his beak up. Ra did have a point there.

 _*CRRAAAACCCKKKKK*_

The loud crash came from just above their heads. The Assembly Room's ceiling was divided by a giant crack.

\- Everyone, leave! – Atum shouted.

All the gods left the area immediately and just in time. With a loud crash, the ceiling collapsed. It perfectly symbolized the current situation.


	22. War

**In which our heroes encounter some REALLY aggressive home redecorators...**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _War_**

\- WHERE IS HORUS?! – Seth howled.

Shadow Gobbler didn't even flinch.

\- I do not know, my lord – he said softly. – But your army has broken through the defense line.

\- I WANT HORUS'S HEAD! HIS DEATH IS NOT CERTAIN UNTIL I KILL HIM WITH MY OWN HANDS!

\- My lord, I am very sure his body is on its way. Maybe the flow of our soldiers slowed it down – Shadow Gobbler remained extremely calm. – Be patient—

\- Get out of my sight, you wretch! – Seth suddenly bent down, making eye contact with the demon. – Make yourself useful, or I will gut you!

The lion-monster bowed briefly and left the place as quickly as possible.

oooOOOooo

Anubis's eyes shot open. He was about to drift into sleep when two feelings rushed over him. One was an enormous rage that wasn't his, yet he almost drowned into it. The other…

\- The Gate... – he panted. – They broke through!

\- What?! – Cleo's head snapped into his direction.

\- The demons broke through! – Anubis shouted, struggling to get rid of this unfamiliar rage that choked him. – I can't breathe!

\- Oh god – Cleo muttered as she jumped there, pulling Anubis into sitting position. – Just calm down!

\- What's all this noise? – Gramps came down from the bedroom where he finished his nap.

That's when Cleo realized that Tut and Luxor might still be in the museum. Exactly to where the Gate led! Okay, now she panicked. Ironically, in the meantime Anubis managed to fight off the anger, regaining some of his calmness.

\- Mister Carter – he panted. – We are in serious trouble.

\- What troub—

 _*CRASSSSHHH*_

Something big jumped into the living room through the closed window. At first it looked like a big dog-lion hybrid with black fur and Egyptian-style skirt. It was a demon. And it looked angry.

Anubis blasted the monster without hesitation then jumped to his legs. He wasn't a warrior, but he did live through the war between Seth and Horus and that taught him a few lessons. He hissed as the strange rage took over him for a brief moment. By now he figured out what it was: Seth's anger. Somehow he could feel the rage of his father. How did that happen and why now? He didn't have answers for those questions but it wasn't the right time to meditate on them. He cursed in Ancient Egyptian as the room spun with him but quickly regained his focus.

\- What was that?! – shouted Gramps, looking at the now dead demon that slowly crumbled to desert dust.

\- We can't stay here – Anubis barked, still in his teenager form. – We must move if we are to stay alive!

\- Honey…? – Gramps looked at Cleo with a confused and fearful look.

\- Gramps, listen to him – Cleo tried to calm him down. – He knows what he is doing.

\- But what's happening?!

An even larger monster tore through the wall this time.

\- The end of your pathetic world, that's what's happening, mortal! – Ammut laughed in her sick voice.

oooOOOooo

\- Oh cra— – Horus mumbled, eyes wide and stuck onto the horizon.

Something moved there. More precisely, MANY things were moving towards the City.

The demon army was divided and one half came to wipe the haven of the gods away from the surface. Next to Horus Bastet was cursing in a low voice. It would be half an hour before that army arrives here.

\- What now? – the cat goddess asked. She wasn't the coward type.

\- Now? Now we will make them regret they'd even looked in the City's direction – hissed Horus determinedly and jumped off the wall. Bastet did the same and soon the two gods gathered everyone.

The remaining goddesses, except Sekhmet who just blazed with excitement, were scared but none of them dared to back down. It was their home, the only place to live and they were not going to give it up without a fight.

\- Okay, I will be the captain since I know the most about fighting – exclaimed Horus. – We need to prepare the City for a siege and better do it quick. Also we will have to be extra protective over Thoth's temple. We need to buy him as much time as possible. Let us cast protective spells onto the walls right away!

Isis nodded and shepherded the other goddesses into position.

\- I wish I never lived this day – Nut whispered fearfully.

\- Look, grandma! – Horus took her hand in his and looked into her eyes. – I know you are a peaceful being and you hate any rivalry. But please, try to fight just this once. Our home is at stake!

\- I… I will try – Nut sighed, towering over his grandson with her 5 meters, then rushed after Isis.

\- WHOHOHOHOOOOOO! – Sekhmet passed by them, jumping up and down from happiness like a clown.

Horus cursed inwardly. How the hell is he supposed to protect the City with a bunch of women? He had to think of something quick.

oooOOOooo

Thoth collapsed onto his desk. Finally! The cure was ready. All he needed to do now is to give it a physical form, namely a blue ink in a bottle similar to the red ink's. But creating a spell drains magic from the creator, and Thoth was too exhausted to do the last part just yet. He needed some rest to gather enough magic to call the cure to existence.

He heard shouting in the distance before drifting into a light sleep.


	23. Backup

**In which a tour around the city gets a bit more exciting than usual.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Backup_**

\- AMMUT! – roared Anubis, ditching his teenager form finally.

Screw the whole "undercover" mode the gods pulled in the Overworld, it got busted the moment the first demons climbed out of the Gate.

The giant crocodile-lion-hippo monster's eyes widened.

\- An—Anubis?

\- That's "Master Anubis" to you! – the god shouted, fury in his eyes. – Back off, Ammut, no mortals shall be touched by you today!

Ammut's pupils suddenly shrunk into very small dots and she roared.

\- SETH IS MY NEW MASTER!

\- Oh, that's too bad – Anubis blasted her with a lightning. – I didn't want to hurt you.

He kicked the fainted Ammut out through the hole in the wall. It led to a little alleyway. Perfect.

\- There is our exit – he shouted.

\- What? – Gramps was panicking now.

\- Gramps! – Cleo grabbed his hand. – Look at me! I know it's very confusing and scary right now, but we don't have time to explain everything! We need to get to safety then I will tell you everything. The point is, this jackal-headed man here is on our side, okay? Now come on!

And she dragged her frozen grandfather out through the hole. Anubis looked behind his back and shot another demon that just crashed in the main door. Then he followed the two scared humans. It looked like history repeats itself.

Back during the war between Horus and Seth, Anubis once saved an entire human family from a horde of demons. He himself couldn't remember how he did that as he probably had a panic-attack then and just acted by his instincts. Now he was much more collected, though much weaker as well. And he could only hope that the little pharaoh and his cat were alright too. Though now come to think of it, the kid was experienced when it came to surviving Seth's tricks.

oooOOOooo

\- Come on, Luxor! – Tut panted, running through the streets, leaving the museum behind, letting it being covered in magical green flames. There was nothing he could do to save the building. Thankfully no humans were in it, at least he hadn't seen any while searching through the rooms.

Luxor was running next to him, the end of his tail burned from the fire.

\- What now, sire? Do you think Cleo and the others are still home? – he shouted.

\- I do not know, but even if they aren't, they must be near the house – answered Tut.

Call it sixth sense, but he flung his Specter when they arrived to a corner. And it turned out to be a good decision as the magic blasted a demon that tried to jump on them from behind the wall. They leaped over the motionless body and kept running. Suddenly the Scepter shook in his hands, and a voice spoke in the pharaoh's head:

\- _Pharaoh, we are at the entrance of the park. Come quickly as it is not advisable to stay at one place for long!_ – it was Anubis.

Tut forwarded the message to Luxor and the two of them took an unexpected turn to the right, causing another demon to smack into a wall upon trying to ambush them.

oooOOOooo

Anubis tried his best to keep up the Shadowmelt Net around them as it was the only thing that kept them safe from the wandering demons and spirits. They could see everything but nobody could see them.

Gramps was panting heavily. He was an old man after all, wasn't able to run for long distances. Cleo was patting his back, a concerned look on her face.

\- Can't you do anything? – she asked Anubis.

\- Not yet – the god answered. – I have to keep this magic up until the pharaoh and the cat arrives. I'm too weak to use two spells at once.

\- But you can help Gramps, right?

\- Yes, I can. But it has to wai—

A powerful blast flew into their cover. Anubis recoiled, almost falling over from the force of the attack.

\- Oh crap – Cleo hiccupped.

A hippo-monster in priest-clothes stood before them with a smoking staff in his paw. It grinned with its ridiculously wide mouth and prepared for another blast.

 _*BANG*_

The yellow beam shot it in the back, causing it to fly forward, over the heads of the trio. Tutenstein and Luxor stood at the other end of the street.

\- NO ONE CROSSES THE PHARAOH AND GETS AWAY WITH IT ALIVE! – Tut howled as he ran up to the others.

\- Cleo, you okay? – Luxor looked two times bigger thanks to his puffed up fur.

\- Yeah, I am, but Gramps is too weak to run – Cleo looked at her grandfather.

\- Just… give me a… second – the old man panted, leaning on his knees.

\- Unfortunately we don't have a second – mumbled Anubis, trying to stay focused as the rage took him over again. – But I have something that will help.

He summoned a little necklace that had an Ankh on it.

\- The Symbol of Life and Eternal Youth – he said, giving it to Gramps. – It will give you back your strength as long as you wear it.

Gramps tried it on and immediately felt better. He stood tall.

\- Okay, now we can go! – he grinned, feeling his long-lost strength coming back. – This will be our biggest adventure ever!

\- Yeah, if we survive it – murmured Cleo, but smiled a little.

\- Let's go – Anubis looked around, searching for enemies. He managed to push down the anger once more.

\- Where? – asked Luxor.

\- We have to keep moving and find a decently safe place.

\- Only decently? – Tut looked up at the god.

\- There is no true safety here.

The small gang started running again through the park, passing by trees and bushes caught up in flames.

oooOOOooo

Seth gritted his teeth. He would have never thought that his son, that stupid little weakling would prove this much of a challenge. The chaos god was actually struggling to take his son's mind over with his anger, but the lesser deity repelled it every time. However, this didn't stop Seth from keeping trying. The kid soon will tire out, sooner than his father would.

When he touched the Bond, this indestructible connection between the family members, he didn't think it would be this hard to do. The Bond could not be erased, not even by the red ink, but Seth found a way to shut it down between himself, Anubis and Nephthys in order to keep his location safe. But now he had to open it up a little so he could take control over his son. If only that little idiot would let him!

oooOOOooo

Anubis tried to shield the mortals with his body as they locked eyes with an entire horde of demons, armed with swords, arrows and bows, daggers and spears. He wasn't sure whether he could take them out or not. Not to mention Seth's stupid anger was back. The rumors about the chaos god's persistence weren't exaggerations after all

Suddenly another feeling washed over him that too was not his. But it felt so familiar. He was very sure he felt it once, but just couldn't put his finger on it. Whatever, now it was not the time. He felt magical energy coming into him, allowing him to control the water in the pipes underground. He had never been the best when it came to water magic but now he was very steady in it.

At Anubis's command the ground under the demons suddenly cracked and giant geysers shot towards the sky, sending the monsters flying in all directions. The others cheered behind his back. Anubis huffed a little. Wherever this magic came from, he was very grateful for it. It also helped him pushing down Seth's rage.

The little group continued their way.

oooOOOooo

Oh no, she just didn't do that!

Seth could roar in his anger. In fact, he was doing just that. How dares she to interrupt into **his** business?! Where was she?! He should have known something like this would happen if he opened up the Bond a little.

She'd better not mess things up, because if she does, Seth will kill her. He should have done it long ago. But back then he was still too weak to do it. He cursed himself for that. If he had killed both of them on that fateful day, now they wouldn't be in the way.

oooOOOooo

Nicole smiled sadly at the blubbing rage she felt. The old woman slowly stood up, took the golden scarab necklace down from the wall and put it on. The ruby eyes of the beetle flashed as the jewel finally made physical contact with its rightful owner, after thousands of years. It was time for her to leave her cover behind.

With an elegant, youthful spin on her heel she shot a demon that had just broken in the door with a blue beam then walked out. She was not about to let this world fall victim to that mad God of Chaos.


	24. Siege

**In which the aggressive home-redecorators are forced to face the ultimate girl power, while things aren't looking good in the upstairs neighborhood.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Siege_**

Horus dodged a beam just in time. Looks like the demons had brought the heavy artillery as well: the magician demons. Those monsters were very dangerous as they could do nearly any magic a god could. Okay, so maybe they weren't as powerful but they still could deal massive damage to anyone who opposed them. Horus hated fighting those things.

The monsters were still outside the wall, the protective spells kept them out. They were also bombarded by every kind of offensive magical spell one could think of, as the goddesses, even Nut turned out to be very ferocious opponents. They even surprised Horus. The very moment the siege started, the goddesses sprung onto the walls with earsplitting battle cries and wails. It has been an hour since that, but neither side backed off.

Star-shaped magic rained down onto the demons as Nut summoned one of her most powerful spell which she just called "Starshower". It was very effective, tearing up the enemy lines and the ground itself, making it collapse at some parts, dragging the enemies down into the Abyss.

Other goddesses that turned out to be most fearsome were Sekhmet, Isis, Serqet and even Ma'at. The Goddess of Truth was fighting like a mother lion, protecting her beloved husband from anyone who would dare to near Thoth's temple. She wasn't afraid of using even swords she snatched away from demons climbing up the walls. Just like almost every other women, Ma'at cut open her tight skirt on the side so she could move more freely. This made her **very** dangerous, it turned out. Maybe this Egyptian fashion was invented so the women could hide their true potential in the field of combat. Or maybe they were just this desperate. Whatever the reason was, Horus was very grateful for these fine soldiers he turned out to have.

\- Get your ugly face out of here! – he shouted as he knocked a demon off the southern wall with his magic chains.

The battle was far from over, but it was obvious the demons didn't expect this much resistance. The gods could still win this.

oooOOOooo

Anubis cried out in pain, then grabbed the enchanted arrow and pulled it out of his left shoulder. With his newly found confidence in water-magic, he commanded a pipe to blow up just below the attacker's feet, sending the monster high up in the sky. He cursed inwardly, grabbing the injury. There was no blood, instead it looked like as if his flesh was made of pure light. Faint white gleam came from the wound. But it hurt nonetheless.

\- Are you alright, partner? – Gramps jumped there, examining it. – Ha, I always knew you were special, ever since that amazing houseparty with that Goddess of Dove.

\- Love – Anubis hissed, not willing to let go of his injury.

\- Yeah, that – Gramps agreed half-heartedly, already trying to figure out a way to somehow get bandages.

But it was rather impossible as they were in the middle of a main street. The rain had stopped long ago, but the ankle-high water was still there. Somewhere the spilled oil from a car was burning, the flames danced on the top of the water. Everything was abandoned, Cleo could just hope that many humans managed to find safety. She knew even if Anubis was in top shape, he still couldn't protect everyone.

\- Wait, how about that pharmacy? – she asked, pointing at said building not far from them.

\- Well, other times I would not steal, not even on the verge of death from starving, but now… - Gramps walked there and tried to open the door, but it was locked. – Wow, the owner even had time to close up. He sure must be a precise man.

Tut blasted the door in with a heavy sigh and his Scepter. Anubis needed some help now, and one single door would not stop the others from doing so. Inside Cleo grabbed some bandage and with the help of her grandfather they attended the wound. None of them, not even Anubis knew whether human methods would help a god, but it was all they could do now.

The group continued their way down the street, tensed and ready for every attack. Except the one that just came.

A giant donkey demon ambushed them from behind, swinging a giant axe. Tutenstein was the first to react, shooting a beam at the monster which deflected it with his weapon. But its disgusting grin soon fell as a giant fire falcon appeared behind the gang. The demon decided to run and it was a good choice. The bird did not follow as the group was in its way. It didn't mind that its fiery legs sunk in the water either.

\- Are you alright? – asked Ra, the sungod, crouching on the falcon's head.

\- More or less – hissed Anubis, grabbing his wound once more.

Seth's anger tried to take him over once more, making the injury blaze with pain.

\- Your Majesty, we need help! – shouted Cleo.

\- Yes, I have noticed – the sungod rolled his eyes, reminding himself to be patient as the mortal girl probably had a slight panic-attack. – Most gods are here as well, trying to push the demon forces back.

\- Thank god – Luxor sighed.

\- And the other humans? – asked Gramps, not even flinching at the god's appearance.

He had seen enough today, besides his bravery came back with his strength, thanks to the Ankh. And he trusted Cleo. If his granddaughter wasn't afraid of these creatures, neither would he be.

\- We have created a safe haven in one of the parks – said Ra. – And we are trying to escort every survivor there. You should go as well. Especially you, Anubis.

\- I'm fine—

\- You are **not** fine. You are injured, tired and confused – the sungod interrupted him firmly. – I will accompany you.

\- Thank you, Your Majesty – sighed Cleo in relief.

Suddenly loud shouting erupted from the end of the street. A bigger horde of demons were heading their way.

\- Or not – Ra raised an eyebrow, otherwise looking completely calm. – New plan. You take down this street. The park is around at the end of it. I will handle those monsters.

Cleo thought for a moment. She only knew one park that was that way: the Turtle Park. That must have been where the haven was.

\- Okay, I know where it is – she nodded.

\- Good. May Atum watch your step… oh yes, he should be around the haven as well – said Ra then commanded his falcon beast to lift its head up and take off to face the demons.

Anubis regained control once more.

\- This is getting annoying – he growled softly.

\- Yeah, it is – Tut agreed, though he probably didn't mean the same thing as the god.

\- Let's go, shall we? – offered Gramps, slightly smiling.

oooOOOooo

Thoth pushed himself up from the desk. His energy was still very low but it was enough to create the cure. He inhaled deeply, trying to close out everything from his mind, including the loud shouts and explosions from outside. They were under attack, but he didn't have time to panic. He let out his breath then inhaled again. Okay, focus. We are about to die, but focus.

Damnit, it was hard to concentrate like this! Thoth didn't really have any battle experience as he preferred keeping himself away from any kind of fights, being it a war or the wrestles between Horus and Anubis.

Finally he could close everything out and placed his palms onto the papyrus where the newborn spell was written. He kept his eyes closed, murmuring softly in ancient Egyptian, channeling his energy into the paper. The hieroglyphs began to glow with blue light then they moved, slowly slipping towards the centre of the papyrus, melting into each other until there was only one big blob. This spot grew out of the surface of the paper, became a miniature hill then took the shape of a small bottle ever so slowly. Finally with a flash of blue, the new, bright blue ink stood there in transparent crystal bottle, closed by a black granite plug.

Thoth almost fell onto the desk, but managed to keep himself up with his hands. He smiled tiredly. Finally it was finished.

Something cruelly cold grabbed his neck the next second, choking him, forbidding him to make any sound. It pulled him backwards. Thoth fell onto his back, forced to stare into bright green eyes. Shadow Gobbler grinned devilishly, looking down at his helpless prey tied up with his cape.

\- Thank you, Wise One – he whispered softly, reaching for the ink. – My lord thanks you the hard work you have put into it.

Thoth's eyes widened, he began to struggle, trying to free himself from the icy grip of that cursed cape. Other times Shadow Gobbler wouldn't be a match not even for Thoth, but now the God of Wisdom was exhausted beyond belief.

\- I would kill you here and now but my lord insists that you watch his glorious return to the throne from up close and personal – the demon smiled, pitying the helpless god. – Shall we go then?

He began to run like the wind, dragging the god with him who was still unable to call for help. But Shadow Gobbler couldn't get away with everything, after all. Bastet and Horus looked at the same time towards Thoth's temple, just in the right moment.

The Shadow Gobbler jumped over the wall with his hostage, tearing through the weakened protection spells. With a vicious roar Bastet abandoned her post, running after the demon. In the same time Horus let out an ear-splitting falcon shriek and began to pursue the enemy as well. The gods met in mid-way, both agreeing silently on gutting Shadow Gobbler for this. The demon was obviously after the cure and if he fled that meant he already got it. They couldn't let Seth put his hands on it.


	25. Camp

**In which a less-than-touching father-son reunion occurs.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Camp_**

It started raining again. Like the city really needed it. The pitch-black clouds poured the water down onto the buildings, putting out or weakening the fires, soaking the little group of two humans, one cat, on mummy and one god. Cleo shook the water out of her eyes. The closer they got to the haven, the quieter it became as the other deities kept the demons away. Finally some peace!

Or not.

One moment Anubis was walking next to them in the water, clutching his shoulder, looking rather tired, beaten-up and annoyed, the next he was lying on the road, moaning and grabbing his head, eyes shut tight.

\- What now?! – Tut cried out, jumping there.

oooOOOooo

A sudden, powerful burst from the invader rage in his mind, and Anubis found himself in another, pitch-black world, lying in the middle of nothing. A giant hand of crimson thick smoke reached for him, catching his head between two fingers, claws sinking into his cheeks. Anubis gasped in pain but refused to scream, even from the burning touch the smoke-hand had. The fingers lifted his head up, forcing him to look into a familiar and hated face.

The dark red fog adopted the form of Seth. The God of Chaos grinned down at Anubis, his crimson eyes blazing like small pools of lava.

\- Hello, Anubis – Seth said softly, smile growing even wider. – Long time no see.

\- I did not miss you, though – Anubis managed to choke out, gritting his sharp teeth in pain to stop himself from shouting. He wasn't about to give this lunatic god the satisfaction of seeing his agony.

Seth chuckled:

\- Oh, that is so rude, Anubis. Is this how you greet your father?

\- You are **not** my father! – the jackal god shouted, black eyes sparkling with hatred.

\- Say what you like, Anubis, you cannot change it. Do you really think I am happy about having an offspring this weak? – laughed Seth, tightening his grip around the other's head. – But I am here to offer a solution for it.

\- I don't care about your sorcery!

\- Not even about this? – asked Seth softly and held up his free hand in which a bottle of blue ink appeared out of nowhere. – Soon the cure for the Ink of Banishment will be mine. Do you not want to end your miserable situation, Anubis? I know I would love to grab the opportunity.

Anubis's eyes widened.

\- You are bluffing – he whispered.

\- I am not – Seth's grin grew even wider. – I am going to break out of my cursed fate of banishment and I was thinking about offering you a place by my side – he leaned very close the jackal god. – Do you not want to have real power, Anubis? Both worlds will be ours, we will be on the top of it all. Would you not like that? I know you would. After all, you are my so—

Anubis spat Seth in the face, knowing all too well that is was just an illusion. But boy it felt so good to do it nonetheless!

\- Go burn in a pit – the jackal growled, showing his teeth.

Seth didn't even flinch by the disrespectful act, but he did sink his claws deeper into Anubis's cheek.

\- You sure have some guts, brat – the chaos god hissed, grin turning into a snarl. – Your only luck is that I am in a good mood now. I will give you some time to think it over. When I arrive to the Overworld, I want your final answer. And I strongly suggest you to choose wisely.

Anubis closed his eyes, the pain becoming unbearable. Just when he was about to give in and scream in agony, the endless black cracked and bright blue light burst into their faces.

\- YOU LITTLE WHORE! – screamed Seth, letting go of his son, arm swinging in the direction of a third, blurry figure standing in the light.

Anubis collapsed onto the ground, the pain finally leaving his exhausted body. He glanced at the intruder, seeing a tall, slim, somewhat female-like creature locking eyes with the furious Seth.

He blinked and suddenly he met with the sight of raindrops falling into the shallow water that covered the road.

\- Anubis, wake up already, we gotta move! – he heard Cleo scream into his ear.

oooOOOooo

Finally the jackal's ears moved a little and Anubis opened his eyes. He looked even more storm-beaten as if someone had just tortured him. Cleo immediately backed away as the god slowly pushed himself up with his arms, groaning.

\- Are you okay? – she asked carefully, helping him up along with the others.

\- What… happened? – Anubis grabbed his forehead, his legs almost giving in to his weight.

\- You passed out all of a sudden – explained Gramps in a hurry. – We tried to wake you up but you didn't react.

\- Seth… Seth will soon have the cure for the red ink! – Anubis's eyes shot open as he remembered. – If we don't do something quick—

\- First we have to reach the haven! – the little pharaoh shouted, blasting some demons with his Scepter.

The enemy was closing up on them. Anubis flinched as he mentally reached for his magical energy but used it anyway.

\- WATERLOCK! – he cried, lifting his arms up horizontally.

The pool covering the ground lifted up and surrounded the monsters one by one, locking them up in hovering balls of water, forbidding them to breathe. Anubis gritted his teeth in his struggle. Maybe this was not the best spell to use right now. He had to keep it up until the enemy drowned and turned into desert sand.

\- Let me handle this! – rang a familiar, full-of-energy voice across the street.

Bes came to save the day with a huge grin on his face, yellow magic orbs dancing on his index fingers. Anubis let go of the magic with sigh of relief. The dwarf god shot a beam into the sky which broke into million pieces of small shiny shards, raining on top of the demons. Those monsters who survived the Waterlock were screaming in pain. The small gang ran up to Bes.

\- Thank you, Bes! You are a savior! – jumped there Tut, trying to organize his soaked and/or torn bandages back in place.

\- Hey, I remember your face, little one! – laughed Gramps. – From that party!

\- Yes, that was a great occasion! – the god smiled back.

\- Can't we have this conversation later?! – snapped Anubis, panting.

\- Oh yes of course – muttered Bes, eyeing the jackal god. – You don't look so good, you know.

\- Yeah, I know. Let's just go!

\- Okay okay, jeesh!

Bes escorted them to the Turtle Park. Just beyond the fences the transparent, yellow wall of a giant magic shield towered, forming a cupola over the entire park. Bes opened a hole in the force field, shepherding them inside. They were safe finally.

oooOOOooo

Bastet and Horus lost track of Shadow Gobbler but they could still track down Thoth's presence so they followed that.

\- When we catch up to him, how about throwing him into the Pit of Eternal Fire? – suggested Horus, running side by side with Bastet.

\- Not a bad idea – agreed Bastet, eyes sparkling furiously. – And after some hundred years we should drag him to the Abyss of Torture. What do you think?

\- Brilliant idea, Bastet! And **then** we will kill him.

\- Maybe insert a few other places before that happens.

\- Definitely. You know, our ways of thinking are very similar after all.

\- Except the part about Anubis – Bastet glanced at the falcon god coldly.

\- I'm working on it, okay?! – snapped Horus angrily. – If you haven't noticed I had been kind of busy he—

Bastet suddenly stopped dead on her tracks, grabbing Horus's arm, making him fall to ground face first. The cat goddess threw herself down as well.

\- What the pit was that fo—?! – Horus lifted his head up, spitting out rocks before Bastet shut his beak with her hands.

\- Can you not feel it? – she whispered, ears shaking nervously, eyes jumping from one place at another.

Horus finally felt it too: the drowning aura of Chaos itself. They were near Seth's throne.

\- Oh cra— – the falcon god hissed as they sneaked closer to a bigger cliff.

Voices spoke not far from them. One of them was Seth for sure. Great. Seth was no match for Horus out in the open, because the red ink sealed a good amount of his powers away, but here many evil spells filled the area, making him much more dangerous.

Horus and Bastet would be in big trouble if they got spotted.

oooOOOooo

Anubis was sleeping soundly, sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree, pulling the blanket tighter around himself. The magic cupola shielded the park away from the rain.

Many smaller camps were set in the area with a couple of big bonfires, survivors surrounding every one. Thankfully many humans managed to hang in the city until help arrived, but no one could tell how many had died. Everyone was either panicking or was desperate, depressed and lost all hope.

Anubis was so tired he didn't eat anything, just leaned against a tree and fell asleep on the spot. His powers were nearly depleted, thanks to the red ink that forbade him to have more.

\- So… he was that Adam guy? – whispered Natasha in utter disbelief, pointing carefully at the sound asleep god.

\- Yeah – Cleo looked away uneasily, messing with the corner of her blanket. – Sorry for lying to you, guys. I didn't know whether you would believe me or not.

\- Well, to be honest, I wouldn't have believed it actually – admitted Jake.

Thankfully both of them, along with their parents were okay. Cleo could spot out more of her classmates and also Walter Jacobs, Horace Bedhety and Dr. Roxanna Vanderwheele in the crowds, but she didn't want to leave Anubis and Tut. The little pharaoh and Luxor were asleep as well, leaning against Anubis' side.

\- So what god is he? – asked Natasha.

\- He is Anubis, Guardian of the Dead – explained Cleo in a low voice. – He is the one responsible for every good soul to find peace. And he is also the inventor of mummification.

\- Wow, just think about it! – said Jake in awe. – All those animal-headed dudes from the walls are real!

\- Yeah, it's quite shocking, isn't it? – smiled Cleo shyly. – And they can be quite a handful.

\- You are radical – snickered Natasha. – Baby-sitting gods, how cool is that?

\- More pain than you can possibly think – waved Cleo tiredly.

 _Especially when one is always trying to take over the world_ , she added mentally, gazing up at the sky covered by black clouds.


	26. Rise

**In which the Ice Bucket Challenge is nothing compared to this wave of shock.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Rise_**

\- My lord, I have a gift for you…

Seth's eyes snapped open, ready to kill the one who dared to interrupt him in his mental showdown with that useless witch. Shadow Gobbler stood before him. Seth was about to raise his hand kill the demon with one blow when he noticed something… two things, to be precise:

The helpless, shaggy Thoth in the grip of the magical cape, and a small crystal bottle with blue ink in the demon's hand.

Seth's eyes widened extremely, snatching the bottle away.

\- Careful, you idiot! – he snapped and looked at his gift. – Is this…?

\- The cure for your banishment, my lord – Shadow Gobbler bowed slightly, not even flinching at the sudden movement of his master.

-… Good work, Shadow Gobbler – Seth suddenly grinned widely, his eyes sparkling with sheer madness.

\- I live to serve you, my lord. What should I do with the God of Wisdom?

\- Let him stay and watch. I should thank you, Thoth – Seth leaned forward, grinning down at the fearful Thoth.

This was really bad, the ibis god decided but he did not dare to turn his eyes away from Seth.

\- Oh I know how I will thank you for your hard work – said Seth. – I will kill you last.

Thoth gulped, still unable to say anything. He could hardly breathe. He had to watch as the bottle adopted a suitable size for the chaos god, Seth slowly pulled out the golden paint brush and let a drop of blue ink fall onto the back of his hand.

oooOOOooo

Horus and Bastet froze as the unpleasant aura suddenly grew stronger. It was like being caught in the shockwave of an explosion.

\- What is this? – Bastet choked out, eyes wide from the terrible feeling.

\- Seth… – Horus hissed desperately.

Both gods sprung to their legs and ran in the direction of Thoth. But they were already too late.

Just like in the case of the red ink, a drop from the blue one was enough to be effective. Seth's skin was covered in a faint light, the red lines around his eyes disappeared. The God of Chaos gasped slightly as the seal that closed down most of his magic was broken and energy flooded his body once more. Eh, he had forgotten how much power he used to have. Who needed that stupid little Scepter now?

Seth felt magic running through every inch of his body. His disgusting grin grew even wider, eyes blazing with madness and hunger for power. He suddenly stood up, roaring at the ceiling in victory.

Shadow Gobbler jumped back as dark red flames erupted from his master's body and formed a giant pillar of chaotic fire. The ground was shaking violently, many cliffs and dripstones broke and fell into the Abyss. Seth's roar rang across the Underworld, probably reaching even the City. Horus screamed something, probably "NOOOOO" but he himself couldn't hear his own voice. He and Bastet could do nothing but stand there and watch as the God of Chaos regained his powers.

Thoth, finally free from Shadow Gobbler's grip, managed to roll out of the way just in time before the dark flames reached him. The ibis god somehow pushed himself up with his hands.

\- Oh no, you do not! – Shadow Gobbler shouted, jumping at the god.

\- Oh yes, I do – Thoth answered, pure anger filling his eyes as he blasted the demon with his magic.

Thankfully he had regained some of his strength so he could get away from the growing firepillar. The flames suddenly changed forms, altering into Seth's shape, only two times bigger.

\- Now – the chaos god laughed in his sick voice. – Let us see how the Overworld is doing!

He stomped with his foot, summoning a greenish grayish Gate similar to the one in the Hall of Egypt in the museum.

Thoth watched helplessly as Seth entered the portal.

\- It is over – he whispered to himself.

\- Not if I can help it! – Horus jumped there, a determined look on his face.

He grabbed the wrists of Bastet and Thoth and the three of them jumped into the Gate as well.

oooOOOooo

Anubis woke up with a start, sweating terribly, gasping for air.

\- Anubis, what's wrong? – Cleo looked at him.

\- S—Seth… he's—

A deafening roar overwhelmed his voice.

The sky turned dark red, crimson lightning cracked in the distance as something giant emerged from among the buildings, in one of the main squares. The shield of the haven in the Turtle Park shook madly, the walls almost giving in. The survivors started screaming, shouting and running around as the giant figure stood up full-height.

\- Is that…? – Cleo asked, fearful eyes locking on the creature in flames.

\- Seth! – Tutenstein sprung to his legs. – And he looks even more powerful than ever!

\- The red ink… he got the cure… – Anubis whispered, not believing his eyes.

The choking aura of Chaos filled the entire city as thousands of demons returned the roar to their master. The gods stopped dead on their tracks.

\- Oh no – Ra whispered, staring at the giant. – Oh heavens no…

Osiris gritted his teeth. Bes slowly started to back away.

\- THIS WORLD WILL BURN UNDER MY HEELS! – Seth roared with laughter.

Anubis slowly stood up, not taking his eyes off the flametower. His mouth moved but no sound came. Suddenly a powerful mind burst into his, making him cry out in pain.

\- _What is your decision, my son?_ – Seth's voice filled his head, he failed to block it out no matter how hard he tried.

\- _I already told you!_ – Anubis choked out. – _Go burn in a pit!_

\- _Oh, that is too bad…_

Anubis screamed as the power of chaos started flooding his body. He fell onto his knees, desperately trying to fight against the invader force but it was too much for him. Cleo and Tut jumped there, trying to help him up. The jackal god curled into a ball from the sheer pain, tears escaping from his eyes. Cleo almost cried as well from desperation, trying oh so badly to help his friend but was useless… again. Tut pulled out his Scepter, determined to help Anubis fight whatever it was.

The jackal god suddenly sprung to his legs, a crazed fire burning in his black eyes. He closed them tight and launched himself, running away from the mortals. This was the only thing he could to save them as he felt evil gaining control over him. But he wouldn't be inside the shield by the time that happens.

\- ANUBIS! – Cleo screamed after him. – Guys, we have to follow him!

\- Right! – nodded Tut. – Luxor?

The blue cat was staring at Seth's giant figure, pupils big, ears dropped.

\- We are all gonna die… – he whispered. – We are going to die…

\- LUXOR, SNAP OUT OF IT! – Cleo cried in frustration, snatching her pet up into her arms. – Let's go! Anubis needs help.

The trio started running.

oooOOOooo

Nicole froze to her spot, gazing at the dark red flametower not too far from her. So it happened. After all those years, it finally happened.

She snapped out of her dizziness as she felt a desperate, short, fearful cry for help in her soul. The voice was quickly cut off but she could still feel something was very wrong. She had to help her son!

oooOOOooo

Horus cursed as he kept dragging the frozen Bastet and Thoth down the streets. They somehow avoided the flames of Chaos upon arriving to the Overworld and they decided to put as much as distance between them and Seth as possible until they figure something out.

\- Snap out of it! – the falcon god shouted, spinning around on his heels, slapping the others. – We don't have time to panic!

Thoth shook his head, the smack on his cheek finally waking him up from his fearful trance. He was still weak, yes, but that didn't mean he couldn't help somehow. Bastet hissed at Horus.

\- Did anyone see the blue ink? – she asked then.

\- Nope – said Horus, looking around.

\- Neither did I – added Thoth.

\- But we need it to help Anubis! He is out here somewhere – Bastet cried in frustration, shaking the water out of her eyes.

The rain continued to fall, making it very hard to see.

\- First, let's get out of here! – snapped Horus. – We have to get away from Seth!

\- He does have a valid point there – agreed Thoth.

The three gods started running again down the abandoned street.

oooOOOooo

A tall, slim beautiful woman in light blue, long dress and a scarab-shaped golden necklace filled with priceless gems around her neck walked down slowly on a street near the rampaging God of Chaos. Her eyes were filled with sadness as she glanced into his direction. She stopped suddenly, staring at something that lied in the water three meters away: a broken crystal bottle, a golden brush in two pieces and blue ink mixed with the ankle-high water.

She did not know what it was but it had a strong magic emitting from it, therefore it must have been important. So she walked up to it, stretched her arms out, her palm facing down.

The water started to repel the blue ink, throwing it into the air where it gathered into a hovering orb. She turned her palm up, the blue ink hovering inches from her skin. She looked at it then started walking again.


	27. Despair

**In which the cousins finally talk it out... Sorta.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Despair_**

Anubis groaned in pain as he collapsed against some crates in an old warehouse. He had no idea where he was, all he knew is that he was far away from the Turtle Park, from all those innocent mortals. Good. It was all he could do before the Chaos took total control over him. He still fought it with all his strength, but it was just too strong. He let out a jackal-like howl in pain and desperation as his mind was clouded with red smoke. He was defeated.

\- Did you hear that? – a muffled female voice came in from the outside. Anubis's sensitive ears picked it up, becoming very interested in it all of a sudden.

\- Yes, it sounded like— – a man said.

\- Anubis! – a third voice shouted as someone kicked in the door of the warehouse.

Anubis slowly lifted his head up, glancing at the intruder. He then launched himself like a rocket, jumping at the figure.

\- DIIEEE! – he roared, pinning Horus down to the ground.

The falcon gasped, the collision knocked the air out of him. But he quickly came to his senses and kicked Anubis off him.

\- Anubis, calm down! – he jumped up. – It's me!

\- Precisely – the jackal god growled in a low voice, standing up.

\- What is your—?!

\- WHAT IS MY PROBLEM?! WHAT IS **MY PROBLEM**?! You useless backstabbing piece of junk! – howled Anubis, baring his fangs. – **You** are my problem, you sorry excuse of a god!

\- Hold it, dog breath! – shouted Horus summoning his swords, the khopeshes. – Take those names back this instant! You really think you were the only one who had it rough these past days?!

\- Definitely had it rougher than you, Horus! – hissed Anubis, the two of them slowly circling around each other on the street. – You know what? The Order is destroyed anyway. It won't make any difference if I kill you here and now!

\- Anubis, what are you saying?! – shouted Bastet, jumping next to Horus, pulling out her knives. – Don't make me hurt you!

\- Gods, back off! – Thoth demanded from the background. – Something is wrong with him. Can you not see?

\- All I see is a jackal god ready to kill all of us! – retorted Horus angrily. – I don't have time to die today! Still gotta take down his hell of a father!

\- SETH IS NOT MY FATHER! – screamed Anubis and dashed towards them.

He slammed into Horus who, despite his anger, hesitated using his weapons against the defenseless opponent. Bastet rolled aside, but when she jumped onto her feet to attack, Thoth held her back.

\- Something is very wrong with him! – said the ibis god desperately. – We need to figure it out before we do anything to him!

\- We should knock him out at least! – Bastet turned to him, eyes big and sparkly from the adrenalin.

In the meantime, Horus pushed Anubis away again.

\- You know you don't stand a chance against me when it comes to swordfight – claimed the falcon god. – Just stay down and hear me out!

\- Oh, I will hear you out – hissed Anubis, a malevolent fire in his eyes that definitely did not belong there (even Horus could tell that much). – Hear you out screaming in agony!

With that the Guardian of the Dead extended his arms and from his bracelets a ribbons of linen sprang forth. However, they were not white or light blue/yellow/green like they should have been. They were blood red. Horus stared at the many cordons that moved like tentacles around their master and suddenly wished he had used his swords against Anubis when the jackal had rammed into him. Red meant very bad news in Egyptian culture. There was no way the linen was not special.

\- You banished me – hissed Anubis with sheer hatred. – You banished me from my home, forced me to live in the Overworld. I had been an easy target for Seth. He tortured me, because of you! So you know what now? – the jackal grinned. – I will return the favor. If these ribbons manage to bandage you just partially, your body will be destroyed and your soul… it will never find peace and will wander for eternity.

Horus gulped. Why did the jackal's grin remind him of Seth's? Looks like the bastard was **his** kid after all.

\- That is so not a fair exchange – he managed to choke out, desperately trying to think of a strategy to fight off those ribbons.

\- Too bad there is no other option – chuckled Anubis. Okay, that was so **not** him talking.

In the background a fearful Thoth paler than the moon was dragging the frozen Bastet away. The ibis god probably knew about the power of the red linen. Horus raised his swords.

\- Bring it on, you— – he shouted, trying to show only determination, when suddenly…

\- _—ORUS!_ – someone screamed into his mind. – _Horus, help me!_

\- _Anubis?_ – Horus eyes widened with surprise. He was so stunned that the first assault of the ribbons almost ended the fight. One of them aimed for his left leg, but it had just merely touched it when he sliced it with his khopesh then jumped back.

\- _OH GODS, HORUS HELP ME!_ – the desperate screams didn't cease to come, although Anubis was ferociously attacking, nothing but hatred and vengeance all over his face.

\- _Stop attacking me, you dolt!_ – Horus shouted mentally, barely avoiding another piece of linen that went for his head. The howls in his head didn't help him concentrate on the fight.

\- _I ca—I can't!_ – came the reply, the jackal on the verge of total hysteria. – _Chao— controlling me!_

\- _Wait, wha—Chaos is controlling you?!_

\- _Make it stop!_ – Anubis painful screams almost deafened him. – _It's burning me! Ea—ng me alive! HORUS, GET ME OUT OF HERE!_

\- _Okay—okay, just try to stay somewhat calm!_ – Horus was completely lost now.

However, now he knew for sure Seth was behind this. Only the God of Chaos could be sick enough to use one's body as a puppet and in the meantime torture the trapped soul with his powers. Horus knew Seth was far from done with his son. He will increase the pain until it would be pushing the limits of sanity and bearableness. Horus had to think of something before that happened.

oooOOOooo

Thoth managed to drag Bastet to a safe distance.

\- We have to help him! – the cat goddess whined pitifully, completely powerless.

\- I will not allow you to fall prey to those ribbons! – retorted Thoth. – We cannot help neither Anubis nor Horus in that state. We would just end up being killed by him!

Sounds of hurrying footsteps came from a nearby smaller street and soon from behind the corner appeared a little group of mortals: Cleo Carter, his grandfather, Tut-Ankh-En-Set-Amun and his faithful cat servant, Luxor.

\- Gramps, I told you stay in the camp – shouted Cleo.

Behind them six demons were running, waving their sharp weaponry at them. Thoth and Bastet blasted them without hesitation. The mortal stopped dead on their tracks, surprise and relief written all over their faces.

\- Lord Thoth, Lady Bastet! – cried out Tut happily and bowed quickly. – Thank you for your assistance.

\- Oh, more gods! – cheered Gramps. – Glad to meet you guys.

\- I am relieved to see you unharmed – Thoth walked up to them.

\- Wise One, does your presence here means the ink is with you? – asked Cleo full of hope.

\- It **had** been with me, yes – murmured Thoth, hanging his head in shame. – However when Seth burst into the Overworld, it disappeared, possibly thrown to somewhere and broken into smithereens.

The girl's face went from hopeful to devastated.

\- We are dead – she choked out.

\- We still need to find Anubis – the cat jumped besides her, his fur completely wet from the rain. – He was acting very strange, Great Ones! First he was struggling against something inside him then he ran off, away from the haven. We need to find him!

\- We already have – moaned Bastet, pain written all over her face. – He has gone berserk. He's fighting with Horus right now.

\- What?! – the pharaoh shouted, forgetting about the etiquette. – Why would he do that?!

\- We do not know – Thoth shook his head. – Something is very wrong with him. We need to stay away from them!

\- But— – Cleo tried to say something.

\- It is very dangerous to go near him now! – Thoth shouted at her. – He is using a type of magic that would cause you to die immediately and your souls would be deemed forever restless. As one of the gods of Egypt, it is my duty to ensure your safety. Now all of you will come with us. We will escort you back to the haven.

This sudden voice of authority made everyone flinch. Thoth lowered his voice a little.

\- I am sorry. There is nothing we can do for him right now… except pray that he will be strong enough to defeat whatever is inside him – he said softly. – Now let us go.

He wasn't sure whether those were tears on the girl's face or just rain drops. He tried his best to ignore the rising despair in himself as well as the group started walking to the haven.

oooOOOooo

Cleo wanted to scream and cry and curse Seth and the entire demon army until her throat would give up working but right now none of those things were available. Once again she was completely useless. She couldn't help a friend in need… yes, she actually befriended a god, strange as it may sound. She no longer thought of Anubis as a cold figure of authority and power, unreachable, fearful, but as a friend who got lost in the big wide world and needed her help. Only problem was: she wasn't there for him. What kind of friend was she?! Anubis was probably suffering greatly somewhere, no doubt with Seth behind his pain.

Out of all the things she wanted to do at that moment, Cleo only found power to sigh in defeat. Some friend she was.

\- Cleo, honey – Gramps patted her on the back while walking. – Sometimes not even the best intentions help.

\- But I… promised him I would help him – whimpered Cleo, staring at the ground. – I… I know he needs us. All of us. And I am about to abandon him…

\- You heard what Thoth has said – Tut poked her on the shoulder. – If we get close to Anubis now, we will be cursed for all eternity. You do not know how terrible such fate is…

\- There must be something we can do – Cleo retorted angrily. – Anything!

\- Maybe… – Bastet glanced at the towering figure of Seth in the distance. – If we can disturb Seth somehow, maybe he would lose whatever influence he has over Anubis right now and—

\- He will definitely kill us in the next moment – Thoth huffed. – No, we are out of options here.

He wanted to help Anubis too. The jackal god was one of those whom he let close to himself. He was so… mature compared to his age, always collected, but with a healthy amount of curiosity. He was an amazing company, at least for Thoth. The ibis god wanted to help him somehow. But he couldn't let his emotions get the better of him. He had responsibilities to take care of. All he could do is wish Horus luck in finding a solution.

The silence of the little group did not last for long, though. In the distance doglike howls, bird-like screetches and hippo-like grunts filled the air: another wave of demons.


	28. Comebacks

**In which we have a little recap, among other things...**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Comebacks_**

Let's recap, shall we? The Universal Balance was in ruins, the City was in ruins (even if the female gods manage to fight off the enemy), Nashville, and the entire world for that matter, were in ruins. Seth regained his full strength and almost total control over Chaos, demons swarmed everywhere and there was no telling just how many mortals they had killed so far. All of the safe havens were on the verge of collapsing thanks to the influence of Chaos. Because of all of this the Ocean of Nothing, the Nun was very likely rising rapidly inside the Abyss and soon it would swallow the Underworld and finally parts of the Overworld.

All of these seemed pretty bad, even on their own. However Horus in his current situation couldn't find any of them worst than what he was in then. He had to face a once-comrade who now was controlled by Seth. In the mean time he had to fight of half a dozen bright red ribbons which had enough power to sentence him, a god (and not even a minor god) to eternal unrest. He also had to listen to the painful screams and pleadings of said ex-comrade's mind, struggling in probably sheer pain and misery. Horus was starting to suspect that Seth opened Anubis' mind up towards him on purpose so the suffering of the jackal god would break his concentration. And damn it all to the Pit of Eternal Fire, it worked. Horus, although a very skilled and dangerous warrior, could hardly avoid even the clumsiest or most obvious of attacks. It was terrible.

To be honest, there had been a time when he wanted to personally kill the jackal god, he had to admit. It was after the war with Seth. He had won but the loss of his father made him grieving and enraged and he carried a terrible hatred for anything connected to his treacherous uncle, Seth. He was the pharaoh so he could even strike down onto everything… including a mother who had done nothing wrong and a son who had even helped resurrecting his father, even if only in the Underworld. Nephthys, Goddess of All Waters, the only being who could communicate with the Nun (that stupid body of water WAS sentient) vanished when Seth became very violent but she attempted to return to the Council of Gods once. Horus chased her away. No one knew about it, not even his parents or Ra.

And the son? Horus had grabbed every opportunity to make his life miserable, to ridicule him in front of the elder gods. He had played often cruel pranks on him, blamed many things on him. He couldn't kill him, though: the god (he was older than Horus, by the way) had already had a firm root, a place in the Universal Order. Killing him would only end up in the world's downfall. So instead Horus poured all of his anger, grief, frustration and downright hatred onto this one god. He should have been thankful to him for resurrecting his father, doing as much as his powers could do. But at that time he failed to realize that and later, when both became older, his pride would not allow him to apologize. The pranks and fights stayed, though their cruelty and violence toned down with time. But the two of them never really agreed on anything. Their teamwork was terrible, they held no tolerance for each other.

However, despite all of this, now Horus found himself unable to truly attack Anubis who was obviously not holding anything back. Maybe it was because the jackal god was visibly tired, worn out and beaten up. Maybe it was because Horus really didn't want to cause more pain to him. Or maybe it was because the falcon god knew it was his fault alone that Anubis (and the entire world) ended up this way. He was the real idiot, choosing a red ink for his prank. Red always meant bad. Always. This was the No. 1 rule of the Egyptian Mythology: red equals desert, equals infertility, barrenness, bad, evil and finally: Chaos. Unless it was on a gem, like the ruby, red was something one should always keep oneself away from. And, of course, Horus forgot that. Now he paid the price.

Thoth and Bastet thankfully left so he could move more freely. That was the only reason he had lasted for so long. Anubis, albeit tired, gained power from Chaos itself. Horus still could have won, had it not been for the real Anubis' painfully screams echoing in his head. In the meantime he also had to fight of stupid, right now completely pointless thoughts. Like: why did Anubis have such linen at his command? There was no way Seth gave him this ability. No, he must have had it since the beginning. But why? Isn't he supposed to be a good god? Most of the friendly deities couldn't even harm mortals, or at least it was forbidden to everybody. How comes Anubis possessed such cruel and evil magic? … Because he was the son of the Chaos God. Blood does not turn into water, it seems, even if the child was raised to be on the good side. Horus honestly had to wonder if the jackal god had more bad spells up his sleeves. He possibly would have even asked it, had he not been too busy trying to survive this fight.

The two gods clashed, they drifted away from the warehouse, onto a smaller opened area that once was a meeting of four main roads. Horus finally managed to close out (partially) Anubis' screams and began to counterattack. Dodging the ribbons, even managing to cut two more he dashed for his opponent. His first instinct was to aim for the neck, however he stopped himself just in time, instead he used the flat sides of the khopeshes and hit him with all the force he could muster. Anubis flew to the right, skidding in the water. His linen lied motionless on the ground. Horus let out a relieved sigh after waiting for half a minute. Anubis did not move. However, when Horus was about to dismiss his swords and go there, something enwrapped his leg more quickly than a snake. He was so focused on the jackal god that he did not notice one of the ribbons slowly approaching him on the ground. He realized his mistake too late.

By that time the fearsome linen already covered up his lower leg and he felt his powers being drained from him. He panicked. The ribbon pulled his leg out from under him and he smacked into the pavement, strength disappearing rapidly. Anubis, on the other hand, twitched, then slowly got up. He had been just pretending. He casually dusted himself off and looked at the struggling Horus. The ribbon creeped even higher on his leg. It sucked out the magical power from his body, leaving behind nothing but cold emptiness. Horus gasped for air, the horrible feeling spreading across his body faster than the linen. It was like winter came with full force and it channeled all of its coldness, cruelness into his body. Horus struggled to push himself up from the ground, at least so that he could lock eyes with Anubis who wore a very content expression on his face. The falcon god would have gladly spat one last curse at him but he was too weak to even do that. Stars started dancing before his eyes as the ribbon enwrapped more of his body. His swords vanished, he could do nothing but lie there helplessly and let the jackal god win.

Horus could no longer lift up his head and let it fall and knock heavily onto the pavement. This was it, he realized. He would die and find no rest for eternity. He would wander around a world torn up by Chaos, would have to watch as everyone who was ever dear to him: his parents, his wife die a horrible death and everything else the gods and humans ever achieved crumble to dust. He wanted to tell Hathor that he loved her, he wanted to apologize Thoth, Bastet, and most of all, Anubis before he died but there was little he could do. He couldn't even panic anymore, he was just too weak.

So he closed his eyes and mouthed a silent farewell.

Next thing he knew the soft touch of the linen disappeared, so did the cruelly cold feeling. At first he thought his body was truly destroyed and he was just a spirit now. But something was wrong.

Anubis was howling in pain.

Panic, adrenalin and anger suddenly returned into Horus and he sprung to his legs with newly found strength. It took only a couple of seconds for his powers to return. He summoned his swords and took up a defensive pose. It turned out he didn't really have to do that. Before him stood Anubis, bending forward from pain, clutching his head with his hands and shouting in pain:

\- STOP IT, STOP IT, GET OUT, JUST GET OUT!

Horus didn't get it. Was there somebody else trying to get into the jackal's head now? Poor guy couldn't catch a break. That's when he realized that he no longer heard the agonized wails in his mind. Anubis fell onto his knees, still holding his head, whining and moaning pitifully.

And then the new player appeared from around a corner. Horus looked at the newcomer and got so stunned he actually dropped his swords and his lower beak dropped. All of a sudden he forgot how to speak and lost his voice.

The water covering the ground parted before the figure who had a hovering blue orb of ink in one hand, a beautiful long blue dress, dark long hair and deep blue eyes.

Nephthys, Goddess of All Waters.


	29. Mother

**In which a long lost family member rolls in to save the day.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Mother_**

Nephthys wished she had never lived this day. She wished it from the bottom of her heart. Unfortunately a wishful thinking was not enough to change reality. Nothing was enough to do that in fact. Nephthys was actually choking from sadness. Watching her grown-up son being so helpless and suffering by his father's hands made her want to break down in tears, but she couldn't allow that to herself. She had to help Anubis somehow. So she tracked down the god's mind, only to find it filled with Chaos and Disorder. However, Nephthys was not a member of the Four for nothing. She had enough power to penetrate through the haze of Chaos and began to destroy it. In the meantime Anubis, who was about to kill Horus, lost his concentration and newly found strength, but also his inner suffering started to fade. She saved the falcon god from eternal unrest. However, the thought made her grimace a little. After all, she just disobeyed a direct order made by said god all those centuries ago: she was not allowed to ever return to the Council of Gods. Yet here she was.

Then again, she did not say she wanted to rejoin the group. Yet.

Nephthys shook her head a little. There was no time for such thoughts. Right now she was here as a mother and not as the Goddess of All Waters. If Horus dared to interfere into her business, she would fight back as a mother. She had every right to do so.

\- Your Majesty – she said softly, bowing a little to the completely baffled Horus, before hurrying to her collapsed son.

Anubis was in a terrible shape, both mentally and physically. He was covered in cuts and bruises, his left shoulder was in bandages. His mind was completely torn up, shaggy, ragged from the pain and fatigue he had to endure for the past hours. It was a miracle that he was still sane at all. Nephthys sat down onto the dry pavement next to him and pulled his head onto her lap. The water covering the ground retreated from them at her command. Anubis moaned pitifully, eyes shut tight. The Chaos in his body fought back, trying to counterattack her attempts, but Nephthys was not only sad but very, very disappointed and angry with her husband. These two emotions gave her enough power to slowly but very steadily oppress Seth's influence.

Horus carefully crept closer to them, watching the scene nervously. He was ready to strike any moment the jackal god would prove to be hostile. Nephthys spared him a quick glance then returned her attention to Anubis as his son twitched a little and opened his eyes.

oooOOOooo

If there was anything Anubis learned from this day, it was that there was no limit to suffering and pain. One would think there is. But they are wrong. He didn't remember much from this past hour, save the mocking laughter of Seth, the maddening pain, the feeling of being burnt to death, the presence of Horus and his own miserable pleadings to him.

Then a blue light came and started washing away his misery. It was so… soothing. And familiar. But yet again, he failed to recognize it, no matter how hard he tried. Seth's laughter became an angry roar but the sensation was victorious over the Chaos God, forcing him to retreat from Anubis' mind and body. Once again he was free, but he didn't know whom he should thank. He tried opening his eyes and they obeyed. So he had control over his body once more.

The first thing he saw was a pair of sparkling deep blue eyes. Then a face and dark hair surrounding it. Those eyes…

\- Ni—Nicole? – he managed to choke out.

\- Partly, my dear – the woman smiled warmly, relief written all over her face. – Do you know who I really am?

Anubis tried to think, but it was really hard and he was exhausted. He had seen those eyes before Nicole, he knew that much. He wanted to remember. And suddenly something popped up.

 _He was lying very comfortably. He really liked it here. It was warm, it was soft. What else could he ask for? So instead he turned his attention towards his surroundings. There was something big and bright and blue before him (was it sky?) but he also saw strange long blades of green from the corner of his eye, surrounding him and his comfortable place. It was strange really. Some of those long green things had yellow and brown hair or crown on top of them (papyrus reeds?). Then he felt a cool breeze and someone leaned in his line of vision, blocking out the big blue thing. That someone was covered in something dark blue, even the face (clothes?) and only the eyes were visible. He reached out towards them. They were so pretty. They were deep blue and sparkly, and something shone in them. Those bright things got out of her eyes and ran down on her face behind those dark blue things. He tried to reach even harder with his little hands, wanted to grab one of those shiny little pearls. But they were too far away. The person said something, he didn't know what it was, and then leaned closer and he could feel warm lips meeting his forehead behind that dark blue thing. Then the figure got distant again and the next thing he knew he was covered up with something black. He yawned and stretched with his little arms. Darkness meant sleep. So he fell asleep._

Anubis blinked and he found himself back on the pavement with the same blue eyes above him.

\- Mo—mother? – he finally said in a low and tired voice.

The woman warm smile grew wider, tears welled up in her eyes.

\- You do remember…

Horus sat down next to them but did not say a word. He knew when to shut up.

If Anubis had been in better shape, he still wouldn't have known what to do, how to react. Maybe he would have jumped around like an idiot, almost going nuts from happiness. Maybe he would have launched himself at her and hugged her so tight he would nearly crush her. Or maybe… he would just stand there, unable to say anything, unable to move or gesture or something. He honestly didn't know what he would have done. But now he was very weak and tired, he hardly had the strength to lift his arm up. So he just lied there motionlessly. However, he allowed a tired faint smile to show up on his face and he felt tears filling his eyes as well, even though he tried to blink them away.

\- I… I l—love you, Mum – he managed to say in a hoarse voice.

He had always wanted to say that sentence. As much as he was emotionally attached to Isis, the goddess was not his mother. He had never called her "mum", only by her name and later "Milady" when she and Osiris became the royal couple. He just knew even as a very small child that she wasn't her mother.

Everything had gotten clear about Nicole: why she didn't have any family photos, why she possessed a divine signet necklace, why she knew so much about the Egyptian mythology, and of course, her story about her disastrous family life.

\- I'm… I'm not an—angry, Mum – he added finally, remembering that Nicole's greatest fear was that her son would hate her for abandoning him.

\- I know, honey… I know – sniffled Nephthys, wiping of her tears of joy from her face.

Then she looked up at Horus.

\- I am sorry, Your Majesty, for disobeying your—

\- Don't… talk about it – Horus interrupted uneasily, casting his eyes onto the ground. – I was an idiot back then. You are more than welcomed back among us. I'm just glad you showed up.

Anubis too glanced at him.

\- We've got some talking to do – he mumbled, expressing that he wished to hear the details of this "disobedience".

\- Yeah, about that. And also about that neat little blood red linen you got there – retorted Horus a bit angrily.

Anubis closed his eyes and sighed in defeat:

\- I always knew I had it – he mumbled. – Never wanted to use it, though. It was just… there. I was too afraid to mention it to anyone.

\- It's because of Seth, huh? – Horus asked.

\- Yes – Nephthys answered sadly. – He did inherit a small amount of chaotic power from him. But it is for later. Right now we have to stop Seth and restore the Universal Order.

She lifted her hand that held the hovering blue orb of ink. From it a smaller part broke out and fell onto Anubis' neck. The jackal god gasped, his eyes opened widely as the powerful magic spread across his body in a blink of an eye. He felt the marks of the red ink, holding his essence like ropes, dissolving. Huge amount of magic, his own magic flooded his body once more. It was so fast it felt quite unpleasant, but only for a few seconds. His physical wounds healed and he finally found the strength to sit up slowly, though he still was far from being in top shape.

Nephthys moved to his side, the three of them forming a triangle on the pavement. The goddess let the blue orb sink into her sleeve as she inspected her son more closely. She had to smile a little. He had grown into a fine man. She wondered if he had a girlfriend or even a wife. It wouldn't be surprising if he had. She quickly dismissed the thought, though. It wasn't the time for it.

\- Feeling better? – asked Horus.

\- Much better – nodded Anubis. – Though I'm still not the best. Good luck taking down Seth.

\- Gee, thanks…

\- I believe you two should work together – said Nephthys softly. – It would be far more efficient.

\- On the contrary – Horus shook his head. – It would be disastrous.

\- Like all those other times in the old days – added Anubis awkwardly. – We messed everything up…

\- Well, it is time to put that rivalry aside! – Nephthys announced in a strict voice, like a real mother. – The entire world is at stake now, we cannot allow bickering among ourselves, now can we?

\- No, but… how the pit are we supposed to take down Seth when both of us are tired and beaten up? – mumbled Horus, not daring to talk louder.

\- I can give you some hints – the goddess said slowly. – I haven't been his wife for centuries for nothing. I knew some very… surprising facts that maybe can be used against him.

\- Like what? – Anubis' ears shot up.

-… Seth is in pain – Nephthys said simply after glaring at the rampaging giant in the distance for a second.


	30. Plan

**In which someone FINALLY turns their attention to the elephant in the room... er, city.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Plan_**

\- Wai—What? – Horus blinked like a frog, completely lost. So was Anubis.

\- Seth is in pain – Nephthys repeated, like it was the most common thing in the world. – Using his powers causes him pain. The bigger the magic is, the more suffering he has to endure while using it.

The boys' lower jaws dropped.

\- He has gotten used to it, though – she continued. – He can take far more of it than any of us. But he has his limits.

\- But… but… why does it hurt him? – stammered Horus.

\- Because it is Chaos.

Anubis' ears were moving a little for a short time as the jackal was thinking.

\- So this is how… – he mumbled finally. – Now I get it.

\- Get what? – Horus glanced at him.

\- I've wondered sometimes how Seth can call upon and use Chaos – Anubis scratched his head. – I mean, it's Chaos, for Atum's sake, and Seth is a god. He was born from Order. Order and Chaos cannot cooperate. So this is how… he can use it but it causes him pain in return. He is a child of Order, therefore Chaos is bent on destroying him just like everything else.

\- Precisely – Nephthys nodded.

\- Hoooollllyyy… – mumbled Horus when he finally got the picture. – He's like… committing self-torture when using magic? That's… sick, actually.

\- And it only gets worse – Nephthys sighed. – This is the reason why he is so good at torturing others as well. I am guessing that he… somehow… enjoys pain, even if only a little.

\- Especially if it is inflicted upon others – murmured Anubis.

\- Masochistic-sadistic, yaaaaaaayy – cheered sarcastically Horus. – How is this helping us, again? We just proved that he is resistant to pain.

\- To a limit – Nephthys shook her head. – There is a certain amount above which he cannot bear it either.

\- Horus, we have to get him to step over that limit – Anubis glanced at the falcon god worryingly. – If we can do that, he will knock himself out.

\- He will also kill us and possibly destroy the entire city – hissed Horus. – Look, I'm not saying I want to back off from this. But this is complete suicide! Okay, let it be the main idea, but we need a plan around it.

Anubis nodded. One thing he was certain of was that Horus had a lot of combat experience. Right now, they had to rely on him, if they wanted to survive this and save everyone in the city as well. The falcon god closed his eyes and held his head in his hands as he sank into his mind, trying to figure something out.

\- We need a place where he cannot cause any damage – he mumbled. – Like a…

\- Desert? – asked Nephthys.

\- No, deserts are his domain, he will get even more power there – Anubis shook his head.

\- Well, if there is no better idea then we will have to stick with that – Horus said uneasily, eyes still closed. – After that… transporting him to that place… then taunt him somehow… Ah! – his eyes snapped open. – No matter where I look at it from, it only ends up in us dying along the way!

\- How are we supposed to taunt him and dodge his attacks at the same time? – growled Anubis.

The ground shook as a tall building crumbled in the distance. Seth was getting angrier, probably he realized he had no control over his son anymore.

\- We don't even know what he is capable of – Horus shook his head tiredly. – For all I know, he has an attack that cannot be avoided! This is a complete suicide. How are we to win this and stay alive in the process?

\- Not to mention neither of us is in the best shape – sighed Anubis.

Two loud smacks filled in the crossroads. Horus almost fell to his side from surprise, so did Anubis. Nephthys had slapped them across the face and now was giving them a very strict look that made both of them shut up immediately and listen to her.

\- Are you two warriors or coward demons? – she shouted angrily. – If you are this lost, then I will have to take part in it as well. Together we can take Seth down, even in a desert, I say! But we need to act fast!

\- We will need a portal big enough to transport Seth – said Anubis, standing up.

\- Atum – Horus sprung to his legs. – He can do it. Or Dad. Or Ra.

\- And the destination? – asked Nephthys.

\- The Sahara – said the two gods in unison.

oooOOOooo

\- Are you two completely out of your minds?! – the ram-headed god roared at them.

\- Nope – said Horus, completely untouched by the outburst.

\- Your Grace, it is our only hope! – snapped Anubis. – We need that portal now or the whole world will succumb into Chaos!

\- I cannot let you two get killed by him! It is a miracle your banishment has ended, Anubis. I will not lose you two right after that.

\- But I will be with them! – Nephthys edged in a word. – They will be under my protection.

\- Yeah, we are, like, the best team against Seth – Horus said quickly. – I know how to fight him, Nephthys knows his weaknesses, she can even influence him a little, and Anubis can aid us as well, he might even foretell his attacks, or something!

Atum snorted, small puffs of steam shot out of his nostrils. The long lost member of the Four, the Goddess of All Waters just returned to their ranks and immediately she was ready to go up against Seth who was to definitely kill her. Losing only one god has terrible consequences to the world, three would lead to its immediate downfall. On top of it, Thoth and Bastet were missing too, even though Horus told him they were with him not long ago. On the other hand…

He glanced at the dark stormy sky pouring rain and the giant figure of Seth in the distance. Buildings reduced to dust showed his path, and the gods could only hope no mortals were in them. They were pinned down by the endless army of demons. Someone had to stop Seth. The Universal Order was technically restored with the return of Anubis, but the very presence and aura of the chaos god and growing Disorder in the world was enough to neutralize that effect. If they don't win soon, the world will fall anyway.

Atum closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

\- Where do you want to send him? – he asked then, after a little pause.

\- YES! – Horus punched into the air in victory but quickly regained his manners. – Uhm, eh… to the—

\- Grand Canyon – said Nephthys completely unexpectedly.

Anubis and Horus stared at her with wide eyes.

\- Why there? – asked Atum.

\- It is not a desert, but no mortal live there. It is perfect – explain the goddess. – There is a river there that will strengthen me and we can use the cliffs as cover or even as a trap if we are swift enough.

\- Holy… that's an awesome idea! – admitted Horus.

\- So be it – Atum sighed. – Go to your quest. Send up a signal when you are with him and I shall open the portal. And… may the Universal Order be with you all…

The three gods quickly bowed then started running towards the giant Seth. They agreed with Atum: only the entire Universal Order could help them once they were up against the chaos god.


	31. Resistance

**In which our resident scribe realizes it is really NOT his day.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Resistance_**

Thoth felt dizzy. Like, very dizzy. So dizzy that it was a real miracle he could still stand, keeping his equilibrium somehow. He himself didn't know how he pulled that stunt off, with all the commotion around them.

They weren't running, there was nowhere to. Demons cornered them in an alleyway and now it was an all-or-nothing fight for their survival. Thoth and the pharaoh blasted the beasts with their magic while Bastet, Cleo, Gramps and even Luxor were fighting hand-to-hand with them. Luxor, bearing a temporary blessing from Bastet became fearless and extremely dangerous. His otherwise small and hardly harmful claws now left deep gashes despite their sizes and with a few good mauls the demons were goners. Gramps surprised everyone when he attacked the monsters first, with a very rusty knife he found in one of the trash cans. The first demon coming too close was taken out by him. He wielded the weapon with ridiculous talent, meanwhile shouting something about serving as a soldier for 10 years. Cleo quickly searched in the trash for a similar weapon, coming across an empty glass bottle. Without hesitation she smashed it against the wall, breaking its wider end. Now she had a very effective "punching dagger" and she fearlessly lashed out with it, trying to copy her grandfather's movements. Bastet summoned two daggers out of nowhere and used them with deadly punctuality.

Normally, facing this much resistance plus two gods and a pharaoh wielding the Scepter of Was would have definitely made the demon mob retreat as quickly as they could. Unfortunately this was an abnormal situation. The chokingly strong presence of their master made them reckless, not to mention Thoth could hardly do anything to them. The ibis god was tired beyond belief, the creation of the blue ink, being the hostage of the Shadow Gobbler, standing very close to Seth when the god regained his powers, and now this "shooting gallery" really taxed his powers. He needed some rest badly. Most of the time his magic blasts didn't even hit the target, or when they did, they were too weak to vanquish the beast. Thoth leaned against the wall, forcing himself to stay standing and focus on the enemy as best as he could. He couldn't allow himself to be weak now. They had to make it out alive.

\- GOD OF WISDOM! – screeched a new, yet familiar voice from above.

Thoth looked up just in time to see the figure jumping onto him from the top of the wall: Shadow Gobbler.

The vile monster apparently refused to die, even though Thoth thought he had already dealt with him back in the Underworld. The demon was in a terrible shape: most of his dreaded cape was gone, so were three of his fingers on his left hand and one on his right. Half of his face and his left shoulder were burnt. Thoth really got him with that blast. However despite all of this, the demon still hadn't died, in fact all this seemed to only make him angrier.

Shadow Gobbler's weight was enough to knock Thoth off his feet, the two of them smacking hard into the concrete pavement, splashing water everywhere.

\- Your Grace! – shouted Tut, turning his attention away from the attacking mob.

Thoth wanted to shake the demon off and started throwing himself around as best as he could. He failed to realize that this made the pharaoh impossible to aim at the demon and blast him off. Shadow Gobbler's grip was firm, however, and soon the ibis god felt at least a dozen sharp teeth sinking into his neck, into his essence. He let out a terrible bird screech in pain and terror, panic taking over his now fuzzy and tired mind. His trashing became more violent. Bastet looked into his direction only to get pinned down by a donkey demon. The ibis god on the verge of total hysteria let out beams from his palms. Cleo screamed and barely dodged it, the ray hitting the wall behind her, creating giant cracks in it. Tutenstein had to turn his attention back to the demon mob that tried to take advantage of the growing panic of the small group. Thoth was left alone… or so it seemed.

Gramps jumped there, the Ankh in his neck, and stabbed the knife into the right shoulder of Shadow Gobbler, barely missing the franticly trashing god. The demon howled and lifted his head up. Next thing he knew, Thoth grabbed his forehead. For a split second they stared into each other's eyes. Thoth somehow turned around just enough to hold the demon's head, his pupils wide from panic and adrenalin. Without even fully realizing what he was doing, he channeled his remaining magic into his hand. Then a flash of light.

Shadow Gobbler burst into a million sparks.

Thoth's head fell onto the ground and stayed motionless.

\- THOTH! – shrieked Bastet as she stabbed the donkey in the throat.

The ibis god was visibly breathing, heaving more likely, but his eyes were shut tight and he didn't even twitch at his name. He knocked himself out cold with that last attempt to finally kill Shadow Gobbler. From the looks of it, he probably even erased the monster from existence permanently in his panic. Gods could do that to demons, but most of the time they did not bother because it cost too much energy. Here lied the problem. What if Thoth wasted too much energy?

Bastet finally got to him and tried to make him open his eyes.

\- Thoth?! Thoth! … Don't you die on me now! Don't you **dare** die, you hear me?!

Thankfully the mob, seeing their strongest being erased forever, finally started to lose their confidence.

\- HIYAAAAHH! – screamed Cleo and stabbed a jackal demon in the guts. – THIS ONE'S FOR MY CITY!

She had a slight cut on her right arm but she was far too occupied to worry about it.

\- Thoth! Thoth, look at me when I'm talking to you – hissed Bastet and slapped the ibis across the face.

Thoth winced and opened his eyes a little.

\- T—tell Ma—Ma'at I loved her – he choked out.

\- No, **you** are going to tell this to her, you hear me?! – shrieked Bastet. – This is not over yet, you are not finished! We are not done here!

She grabbed his hand and forced some of her power into him. Thoth gasped, opened his eyes wide.

\- Get up, damn you! – the cat goddess hissed as she dragged him onto his shaky feet. – You are not going anywhere! You are staying with us, forever, like it or not!

Thoth leaned against the wall, panting loudly, but at least his dizziness was starting to fade.

Luxor screamed as a blade left a deep cut on his hind thigh. Gramps barely dodged a knife flying for his head. Another demon managed to punch Cleo straight in the face, breaking her nose, sending her flying, bruising her arms and back on the concrete ground.

Bastet was about to counterattack when a powerful pulse of energy washed over her. The entire Scepter of Was was blazing with blue light, its yellow eyes technically flaming. The pharaoh's face showed nothing but ferocity as the child king bellowed the words:

\- _NO ONE SHALL HURT THE FRIENDS OF THE PHARAOH! BEGONE, VILE BEASTS OF THE UNDERWORLD OR FACE MY ULTIMATE WRATH!_

The demons froze then spun around and started running out of the alleyway. Those who had been the closest to the group, did not make it out though. Tutenstein let out a huge beam of yellow light, wide enough to fill in the entire corridor. It harmlessly passed over his friends standing before him, but it tore the monsters to shreds, turning them into clouds of sparks, erasing them forever. Only a couple of demons survived and they ran for their miserable lives.

Tut lowered his smoking scepter.

\- We should move – he mumbled then. – I don't think I can do this again…

\- Wait – Thoth said in a hoarse voice. – Bastet, lend me your power for a little bit more…

Bastet grabbed his hand as the ibis crouched down slowly. He placed his palm onto the forehead of the groaning Cleo and muttered something. The bruises and the small cut immediately healed on her body. She opened her eyes slowly.

\- Ow – she moaned. – I think my nose is broken.

\- I… it takes too much energy to heal that – said Thoth. – I focused on the more pressing wounds instead… if you do not mind.

\- Nah, it's… okay – she sat up, voice a bit distorted. – I'll live – and with that she wiped the blood running from her nose into her shirt. – Never heard of anyone dying from a broken nose before.

\- You sure? – came closer Tut.

\- Yeah, I'm fine – smiled Cleo weakly. – Nice light show, by the way.

The two gods quickly healed the rest of the group as best as they could then continued their journey.

They had no idea where the closest safe haven was.


	32. Start

**In which begins Round One. Place your bets!**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Start_**

\- Soooo, anyone got any plans?

\- Didn't we already talk it over, Horus?

\- Yeah… but not in details.

\- Well, aren't you the war general here?!

\- I am, but a war general also listens to others' ideas as well.

\- Well, I have one pretty elaborate one!

\- Improvise.

\- Improvise. How did you know?

\- That was my idea as well. We can't really plan for this battle. We know next to nothing about the opponent, so the detailed predictions just went out on the window.

\- At least we agree on that much…

Nephthys already could see the problems they would have soon. Horus and Anubis despite seemingly having a truce, were obviously not over their rivalry and even now they started to slowly but steadily going on each other's nerves. She had to stop it or at least keep it at bay. So she stopped, the two males almost bumping into her from behind.

With a quick spin on her heels she ditched the traditional tight Egyptian dress and instead she got combat boots, jeans and a bright blue T-Shirt that said "RED SUX". Of course these didn't really go well with her make-up, headdress and royal jewelry but that was the last thing she cared about. This outfit was perfect for combat, that was what mattered to her.

\- Ugh… Mum? – Anubis' ears dropped as he looked at her.

\- What? – she glanced at him. – I have been spending the last couple thousand years mostly in the Overworld, **of course** I had gotten my hands on some modern clothing. What do you think?

\- Love the taglines – grinned Horus.

\- Wait… so you didn't Sleep?! – Anubis gapped in surprise.

\- No, I didn't, but now we need to focus – waved Nephthys.

Her mere presence was enough to convince the raindrops not to land on them. They were almost perfectly dry, not counting their feet, because the goddess did not bother parting the water before them. They were fine with it.

\- I need you two to stop this teasing right now before it ruins our cooperation – she announced in a strict voice.

\- What teasing? – Horus tilted his head to one side a little.

\- Well, the one before— Oh dear, you do not even realize when you are doing it?

\- Apparently – mumbled Anubis, casting his eyes onto the ground.

\- Oookay, then let's try it from another way – sighed Nephthys. – Right now we have a common enemy: Seth, so we need to focus all of our efforts on that. When you two get into a conversation, please try to keep the snappiness to the minimum, okay? Think about defeating Seth together, not about how you would mess each other up.

Anubis and Horus looked at each other. Can they do that?

…

Well, it wouldn't hurt trying it out once.

oooOOOooo

Seth was ridiculously furious, and that meant even more destruction to the city. He technically mowed down everything that got in his way, his Chaosform simply tore through everything. It's been very long since he last casted it, he completely forgot how powerful it was... In fact… Had he ever casted it? Weird, but it didn't seem he had. He didn't even note the (relatively) small but continuous pain in him as he stormed down on a four-lane highway.

Nephthys was back in action, it seemed, and for her first performance she freed Anubis from Seth's grip and this made the God of Chaos **very** angry. Once again he cursed himself for being too weak on that fateful day, when he first got to know that his wife was pregnant. How did that even happen?!

… Wait, don't answer to that…

Anyway, if Seth hadn't been so weak and gullible, he would have killed her while she didn't cause any trouble. But no, oooh no, back then he was still emotionally attached to her (seriously?!) and refused to hurt her physically.

 _This is what I get for being faithful_ , he spat mentally as he reduced a four-storey building to ashes with a couple of punches, _Osiris gets a loyal-till-death wife and I get one that leaves me in the middle of the biggest mayhem. Sounds fair._

Nephthys became pregnant, gave birth to a weakling son, hid him away and ran away without a glance over her shoulder. And now she **dares** to show up, standing up to him?!

\- NEPHTHYS, DO YOU HEAR ME?! – he bellowed. – YOU TREACHEROUS WITCH, DON'T THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH ALL THI—

The ground under his foot exploded, knocking him off his feet. He barely could hold onto a building to keep himself from falling over. As he stopped his fall, he saw that it wasn't the ground that blew up, but the water covering it.

\- YES, DARLING, I CAN HEAR YOU! – came a familiar, long-since-heard female voice from among the buildings, but the owner didn't show up. – HONESTLY, WHO COULDN'T HEAR YOU IN THE WHOLE CITY?!

Seth bared his fangs and stood up. Immediately something hit him on the arm. A whip… no, a magical chain dancing in yellow light.

 _Horus_ , he hissed.

The falcon god was hiding as well. His formerly painful chains didn't even harm Seth, all he could feel was their touch. The God of Chaos snorted as he whacked the attack away.

\- Why are you hiding, _brave_ _heroes_? – he laughed. – And where did you put our son now, _sweetheart_?! Did you find a warm and cozy little spot for that disgrace—

Something shot up from next to his feet, barely missing his long jaws. It was a bright light orb that exploded like a firework against the stormy sky. Seth stomped while looking down, catching a glimpse of a fleeing god below him. Immediately a column of chaotic fire erupted in the way of the deity, however he dodged sideways like he knew when and where it would appear. Rolling over his head he sprung to his feet and a cracking lightning illuminated his face: Anubis. The jackal god skidded to a stop and locked eyes with his father. Seth let loose a wide grin.

The next thing he knew a portal of light appeared under his feet and he disappeared into it, howling.

oooOOOooo

Nephthys, Horus and Anubis jumped to the edge of the portal and looked into it.

\- Phfew, this is it, guys – Horus inhaled and exhaled loudly. – Today we either save everyone and everything or die trying.

\- Gee, thanks for the encouraging speech – snorted Anubis before he could stop himself. -… Damnit!

\- Are we ready? – asked Nephthys staring into the swirling light.

The three of them looked at each other then nodded in unison. Grabbing each other's hand, they dived into the portal, after Seth.

Far away from there, upon sensing that the three of them had entered the portal, Atum put his hands together and murmured a soft prayer for them.


	33. Influence

**In which our heroes realize just how annoying it is when someone keeps telling you what to do.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Influence_**

Horus quickly found himself on a hair-rising ride inside a tunnel of pure light.

 _A roller-coaster to death_ , he thought bitterly, _Awesome!_

Apparently portals leading from point A to point B in the same dimension were not like those green swirls that connected two worlds. Come to think of it, he liked the latter better because it was not as winding as this miserable pile of magic. Not that he had any problem with the old ram god, Atum, but this ride was getting ridiculously long. In the meantime, the warrior part of his mind kept on working overtime, trying to figure out ways to defeat Seth. At first he caught himself thinking about how to kill him. But that wasn't an option. As much as he hated the fact, Seth was also an important element of the Universal Balance. His death ironically would bring only even more destruction and sorrow.

 _Sometimes I really hate being a god…_

How easy was it for mortals, who could just simply kill each other if they grew hard to tolerate! He sighed dramatically to himself. Alas, this very effective way of disposing of problems was not allowed among gods. Life would be so much simpler, yes. Take Anubis for example… Had Horus been able to kill him waaaay back in the old days, now they wouldn't have this problem—

Wait, now that was just messed up.

Horus shook his head frantically. Where did these thoughts come from?! Seth?! … Nah, there was no way. Then…?

 _Oh… the Universal Balance_ , he mumbled to himself.

Damnit, he hadn't even thought about it until now. The Balance was tipped over terribly, that meant Chaos was gaining power. What more would _It_ want than turning the gods against each other, increasing Disorder and Destruction? He had to be extra careful about what he was thinking. And he could only hope that Nephthys and Anubis can restrain theirs as well until this nightmare was over.

 _Okay, so I can't kill Seth… that doesn't mean I can't cause him unbearable pain… Great, there I go again… or am I?_

Just when he was about to let out a falcon shriek in frustration, the tunnel suddenly ended and he splashed face first into a river that had a terribly wild current. He saw nothing in the white foam and for a minute he panicked. Then he realized he couldn't drown, being a god and all, so he took a nice big breath and extended his hands trying to grab onto something to stop his drift. He still couldn't see a damn thing, but soon realized he was spinning around as his fingers sometimes touched the riverbed and other times they broke out to the surface. Finally he smashed against a huge rock wide enough to stop his going. He quickly burst out of the water trying his best to pull himself onto land, but the surface of the rock was slippery and the current already grabbed him by his clothes and was pulling him away from there. He cursed in Ancient Egyptian. Just when his fingers were about to slip of the cliff, two pairs of hands grabbed his arms. Nephthys and Anubis dragged him ashore somehow, both panting and dripping wet. Horus casually shook a good amount of water out of his clothes then spat the rest out of his mouth.

\- Thanks – he huffed. – Anyone saw Seth?

\- Not really – Anubis shook his head.

\- Seriously, how could you miss him? – snorted Horus.

\- Why, did you see him?!

\- I've been underwater, thank you very m—

Two loud smacks echoed among the tall orange cliffs of the Grand Canyon. Horus almost stumbled back into the water while Anubis bumped his head into the rock. Once again, Nephthys had to step in the way only a mother could.

\- Keep this up and everything shall be destroyed – she said in a low, serious voice. – Make your choice: your petty rivalry… or the world?

oooOOOooo

Anubis would have gladly slapped himself a second time after his mother's backhand (and the rock) knocked some sense back into him. He really tried to restrain himself, he really did! It was just that… Just that even though Seth's influence was long gone, he still could feel a nudging feeling in him, silently encouraging him to get into a fight with Horus. And as much as he knew that this was a terrible idea right now, the feeling was very persistent and even persuasive. He could almost hear the words in his mind:

\- _Come on, look at that smug face! He's just asking for it! Didn't he cause all of this trouble?! At least punch him in the beak or something! He deserves much worse… like your red linen. Come on, you know you want to!_

Heavens no, he was terrified of using that power ever again! But the feeling didn't leave him alone and it was getting very hard to ignore.

 _Isfet_ , he rumbled Disorder's Ancient Egyptian name to himself.

The tipped over Universal Balance gave room for Chaos, and thus the "voice" in him.

\- Uhm… do you… have this… feeling as well? – he asked carefully.

\- Telling me to start a fight with you? – Horus glanced at him – Yup.

\- It is telling me to hurt Seth with all of my power – Nephthys sighed. – But it's not that hard to ignore.

\- Yeah – Horus nodded rapidly. – Come on, we can take it! It's nothing.

Anubis pursed his lips, then finally blurt out:

\- If… if I become too… harsh, or violent, or something… take me out. Please.

The other two gods stared at him wide-eyed.

\- I don't know! – he added quickly. – I mean, I don't know why but for me it's strong… maybe even getting stronger.

\- Maybe you're— – started Horus but closed his beak tight the next moment. Even still, his eyes betrayed the rest of the sentence: "Maybe you're too weak and whimsy to fight it!"

Anubis quickly thought up something before he would retort:

\- I just… Mum, you said that we have to choose! I choose the world. Even if it means taking myself out of commission.

Nephthys sighed heavily.

\- You inherited it from Seth… That chaotic power… it's probably making it easier for… for _It_ to influence you.

The cliff over their heads exploded. The three gods jumped out of the way of the debris, to three different directions. Nephthys landed on the river, but she might as well have landed on solid ground: the water around her feet immediately calmed down and created a platform she could crouch on. From the smoke an enormous, fiery head emerged, leaning over the rock, looking at them with great content.

\- There you are – said Seth in a sing-song voice. – Having fun with Chaos? Do not hold your breath, though… You are just about to have much more trouble to worry about that than that pesky little feeling.

Horus unsheathed his magical chains, whipped the air before him as a kind of challenge and bellowed with all of his might:

\- Bring it on, Seth! May the best god win!


	34. Grudges

**In which the perfect time to reminisce about old wounds is in the middle of the goddamn Apocalypse. Priorities, ladies and gentlemen.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Grudges_**

 _Focus_ , Anubis hissed to himself, _you can do this!_

Horus was right, he really did sense his father's chaotic magic faintly, could guess roughly where, when and how it would strike. Though how the falcon knew he had this ability remained a mystery. Anubis decided that this question was extremely low among his priorities. Right now the leading objectives were: defeat Seth; make sure his mother and Horus survive; don't get killed; slap Horus across the face for—

 _Oh crap, there it is again_ , he gritted his teeth as he jumped around the cliffs, _Isfet, can't you just leave me alone?_

It wasn't raining here, however that didn't really make the stunt he was pulling off any easier. The three of them quickly realized that it was nearly impossible for them to fight Seth in that part of the canyon where the water had a very wild current. One wrong move and they would get separated which probably equaled a death sentence in this situation. So they started luring the chaos god deeper among the cliffs, desperately trying to find a place suitable for all this ordeal. This is why he was jumping up and down on rocks like a crazed mountain goat. Sure, falling wouldn't hurt him too bad, being a god and all but other problems quickly rose to its place. If he slipped, Seth would quickly catch up with him. In the meantime he had to divide his attention: one part luring the chaos god, one part fighting off Isfet's stupid persuasions, one part focusing on the chaotic attacks and one part trying to reach the others mentally and warn them of the dangers.

 _Duck, Horus!_ he screamed in his mind, hoping the falcon god would hear him.

Chaos seemed to create a sort of distortion in the mental link. They had to penetrate through a lot of "static" if they wanted to communicate.

Thankfully it seemed he succeeded this time. Horus glanced at him from across the chasm, running on top of an orange cliff, then quickly threw himself down, skidding on his belly. Blood red arrows sailed over his head, barely missing him, hitting the rock instead. The falcon god quickly sprung to his feet and kept on running.

Anubis glanced down. Far below him the river was still pretty wild but sometimes he could catch a glimpse of blue or black among the white foam. Nephthys was swimming underwater with the sleekness of a dolphin, every now and then sending strong waves against Seth, hoping to slow him down somehow.

Horus twirled around, lashing out with his golden chains. Seth grunted and shielded his face with his hands, his arms taking up the hits, which didn't do smack.

\- Really, is this the best you can do?! – he snorted.

Anubis hissed as he scrambled on the rocks as fast as he could. They had to penetrate through that Chaosflame-shield thing **without** wasting too much energy. Awesome.

Wait, was that—?

Anubis almost laughed out loud in relief. Before them, not even a mile away was a place finally suitable for the fight. The riverbed widened out suddenly, abruptly slowing and calming down the water. Its banks were wide. The cliffs surrounding it were high and smooth, no chasms or giant rocks to make it a hurdle race. And were those caves at their bottom? Meh, whatever. Caves were like traps in this situation. They won't use those. Anubis glanced at Horus. The falcon god locked eyes with him and nodded.

 _Mum, we have the place_ , said Anubis, forcing his thoughts through the static.

 _Got it_ , came the reply.

oooOOOooo

Ra had better days.

Much.

Better.

Days.

But this was not one of them. The sun god cursed inwardly as he summoned a rain of fire to wipe out a smaller gang of demons, shooting arrows at him from below as he flew by with his boat. The clouds were so thick it was impossible to tell whether the sun was up or the moon, but it was nighttime, and Ra wasn't sailing his boat through the River of Night, like he was supposed to. This normally would have caused time to freeze up in the Overworld. In fact, the sun god was counting upon on it! It did not affect the gods, and he was fairly sure, most demons would freeze up (maybe a few exceptions), making their jobs much, **much** easier. But no, ooooh no, Isfet had other plans. Time did **not** stop, it kept on flowing. In the heat of battle, it took Ra half an hour to realize that his plan was not working at all. So he quickly traveled back to the Underworld and got his boat. With it, he could move around much faster and it also boosted his powers.

But not his mood.

Ra summoned a giant wheel of flame. But the stupid thing, as if it had a mind of its own, did not roll down on the street he wanted it to, but on a complete different one. It still wiped out a couple of demons, but not enough and **definitely** not the one group he aimed it at! Ra literally spat sparks and ember in anger, his body temperature rising rapidly. Being basically a fire god, he had some trouble controlling his temper, even if he had gotten much better at it during the centuries, before they all went to Sleep. But today, nothing was on their side, as Chaos got more and more room. First, his plan failed and now it turned out that Isfet was strong enough now to mess with their powers, altering their courses. Great. If this goes on, it might be able to even turn their own attacks on them.

By some luck Ra kept his eyes a moment longer on the unleashed flame wheel. As he turned his attention back to the crowd he was intended to take out in the first place, he saw something from the corner of his eye. Immediately he snapped his head back to the wheel and it was a good thing he did. From around one of the corners a new small group showed up, right in front of the flame wheel. Three of the members were definitely mortals. This was enough clue for Ra to turn his boat around and dismiss the attack before it could hit them. Had he been a little bit more distracted, he would have definitely not spotted them.

As he got closer, his mood darkened even more as his annoyance grew. The group consisted of the mortal girl Cleo Carter, her grandfather, her cat, the boy king Tut-Ankh-En-Set-Amun (whom Ra had **already** sent to a safe haven!), Ra's daughter Bastet and… Thoth.

Joyful.

The Universe was against Ra today, if it truly pulled that very dirty trick of bringing them together. Ra felt a headache coming along already.

The Boat of Millions of Years touched the ground, a bit rougher than the sun god originally intended, but the vehicle was only mirroring its owner's mood. Ra jumped off, landing before the small gang.

\- Eh… Your Majesty – smiled Cleo awkwardly.

Her voice was weird and her nose appeared to be broken. Mostly dried blood was on her face and shirt. The cat had a long, healed cut on his side, the pharaoh's Scepter had strange burn marks around the eyes (as if a giant amount of energy had left it), and the two gods were worn out. Especially Thoth. The ibis god was alarmingly pale, his entire body shook probably from exhaustion and he needed Bastet's support to stay standing. Ra felt a ping of worry or pity, seeing his… companion or "Other Half" as the old Egyptians sometimes referred to them. But just a ping. He quickly dismissed it.

\- Uhm, hail Ra! – the pharaoh lifted his hand.

\- Do not tell me you could not make it to the safe haven that was literally a _hundred meters away from you_! – Ra growled icily.

When he was around Thoth, his voice was always cold and held an edge, even if he wasn't talking to the ibis god. Back in the old days, it had been a habit. But nowadays it turned into an instinct.

\- Ummm, we just— – stammered the boy king at this.

\- Something happened to Anubis – said Cleo quickly. – He had just… gone crazy and ran out of the haven. We tried to follow him but we lost his tracks, then bumped into Lord Thoth and Lady Bastet and got together in order to find our way back, but… that didn't really work out, as you can see… Your Grace.

\- Hm – hummed Ra in annoyance.

His green eyes darted to Thoth. The ibis god had his eyes closed, one shaky hand pressed against his chest. Even his breaths were ragged and almost painful. Despite this, Ra could not stop the malevolence rising in his chest.

\- Admiring your handiwork? – he spat.

Thoth visibly flinched at this but he still didn't open his eyes.

\- Wait what? – asked Cleo, completely confused.

\- Ugh, **Lord** Ra? – interrupted Bastet angrily. – Maybe you should show us the nearest safe haven before we get into more trouble, _don't you think_?

\- What handiwork? – the old man's eyes darted between the three gods.

\- Oh, poor thing, you don't know? – asked Ra, raising an eyebrow.

\- Ra, what are you doing?! – hissed Bastet.

\- Answering this mortal's question, of course – shrugged Ra then turned to the grandfather. – You see, good sir, this god here—

\- FATHER! – shrieked Bastet.

Ra narrowed his green eyes as he slowly looked at his daughter. He loved his children, he really did. Their mother, Mut, his one and only wife passed away during the centuries: the people of Egypt forgot about her and soon she sank into obscurity and there was nothing the gods could do about it. Ra became a widow with a handful of children, including Bastet, Hathor, Sekhmet, Serqet, Shu and Tefnut (the latter two also faded away in history). By the time that happened, however, the kids were already grown up and most Egyptian gods tended to severe the parental connection with their adult offsprings. Isis and Nephthys were both exceptions of this as the two goddesses still showed motherly affection towards their sons Horus and Anubis, but Ra was not. His children weren't necessarily thinking of him as a father figure anymore, either. That's why Bastet's "comment" had such an effect. The cat goddess knew she could throw the sun god off his balance with this.

\- An overgrown kid, that's what you are! – she continued. – Can't you put your petty hatred aside **just this once** and show us to the nearest safe haven?!

-… Down this road, third corner on the right – Ra said finally, after a pause, getting aboard his boat once more. – I will take you there. Hop on!

The group hesitantly obeyed.

oooOOOooo

Cleo thought this day couldn't get any stranger. But it did. Much to her dismay.

Not only did a (presumably maverick) flame wheel almost end all of their lives on the spot, now the sun god Ra was accusing Thoth of causing all of this mayhem. Why? And what was that "petty hatred" Bastet mentioned earlier?

She pondered these questions as they sat in silence aboard the Boat of Millions of Years. She wanted to pull out her PocketPC and check it out, but that would have been far too obvious and maybe even rude. Not to mention she didn't know if it was still working or not.

She could remember some parts however. According to myth, the first god ever to come to existence (self-begotten way) was Atum, the ram-headed God of Life. Then he created three beings: two gods, Ra and Thoth and the demonic snake Apep, former two representing Order; the latter, Chaos. Ra, the God of the Sun and Thoth, God of Knowledge were each other's halves and for a long time they were the only ones alive. Later other gods came to life, like Mut, Khonsu or Sobek and finally the family of the gods began to expand.

But… if Ra and Thoth were the first, and for a long time, the **only** gods, shouldn't that fact make the two inseparable friends instead of enemies? Cleo bit her lower lip in her concentration. Something about a curse and… Nut and Geb…

Oh.

Cleo almost facepalmed. How could she forget it?!

Ra had two kids, Shu and Tefnut who sired Geb and Nut. Ra received a prophecy that one of Nut's children would overthrow him from his throne so he cursed the goddess, forbidding her to give birth to her children on any day of the year. Nut, already pregnant, became desperate and went to Thoth for help. The ibis god agreed then invited Khonsu, the former moon god over and challenged him to a gamble. Every time Khonsu lost, he had to give a handful of time to Thoth. This went on and on until Thoth had enough time to create four new days on which Nut finally gave birth to her children: Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys.

Cleo had never really looked into this myth, but now she was beginning to understand. Thoth basically **betrayed** Ra and made it possible for the sun god to lose his throne. For what reason the wisdom god chose to do so was not clear, but Cleo had a feeling he had his reasons and they weren't malevolent. Thoth had never been a cruel or cold god. He was loved through the ages. But Ra apparently did not forget… or forgive for that matter. And… later Khonsu would be forgotten, and the power over the Moon would be given to Thoth, probably even furthering the gap between the two gods.

What Ra meant by "handiwork" was that Thoth made it possible for Seth to be born, thus being the cause of all of this mess. "Petty hatred" was this grudge the sun god was still carrying.

Cleo glanced at Thoth. The ibis god was sitting in the aft of the ship, the farthest away from Ra, and looked _miserable_. The sun god stood with his back to them, probably on purpose. This was awkward. Cleo wanted to ask Thoth about it, however one look at the god dissuaded her. Thoth was obviously suffering silently, from his wounds and fatigue, and maybe even the words of Ra. Cleo would have never thought the sun god could be this cold. He was a figure of authority, yes, but this was ridiculous.

\- What is on your mind, Cleo? – Tut fidgeted closer to her.

\- Too many things, all at once – she sighed. – You think we can survive?

\- Of course! – exclaimed Tut. – After all, we have the gods on our si—

 _*BAANGG*_

The Boat of Millions of Years surged backwards and almost capsized in mid-air. The passengers piled up in the aft, smacking into each other, shouting, screaming, cursing. Then a strong tug almost tore the vehicle apart. Cleo somehow freed her face from the combination of Tut's bandages, Gramps' Hawaiian shirt and Luxor's tail to find herself looking at the largest, most horrible looking hand ever. Three giant fingers covered in light brown fur curled around the body of the boat, two on one side, one on the other. The nails weren't long or sharp but they were in a terrible shape, torn and ragged, and many things were stuck under them: soil, pebbles, disgusting bugs, bones and… rotting flesh?

Then a booming, familiar voice almost deafened the gang.

\- I GOT IT, I GOT IT! – the creature bellowed in triumph. – 's mine! I got it!

\- Oh, heavens no! – hiccupped Luxor. – Isn't that—?

\- NUH-UHH! - sounded a similar voice.

Another three fingers appeared around the very end of the boat. The sacred wood it was made of creaked painfully as the two forces began to tug at it. Gramps scrambled back, bumping into the leg of Ra, away from the giant finger.

\- Wha' is that?! – he gasped.

\- Venemo and Nahaher! – spat Ra with dangerously blazing eyes.

The boat began to descend and soon two equally hideous faces appeared.

The two biggest demons in the Underworld had just found new toys to play with.


	35. Retaliate

**In which a plan is finally hatched, and the battle for a wooden boat begins.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Retaliate_**

Horus hissed in anger as his magical chains bounced off harmlessly of the Chaosflame shield yet again. He didn't even try conjuring swords up, knowing all too well just how useless they would have been. Khopesh were bent swords, they were awesome at blocking other weapons and make them get stuck, even if only for a moment, but of course they were too close-ranged to be of some use now. Throwing them wouldn't do smack either.

This was an unfair fight, Horus decided. Despite Anubis' pretty accurate predictions of Seth's attacks, despite Nephthys' attempts to make the chaos god lose his balance every few seconds (which were quite successful), they didn't achieve anything remarkable. Seth remained unscratched and his unholy armor did not betray any weak spots, no matter where the falcon god struck. This would have been the part where any other warrior would have just given up and lost all hope. Horus was on the verge of this, but one thing kept him going: if they fail now, the entire world will get destroyed. Not only he would die, but everyone he ever cared about: his parents, his wife, his former teachers, the mortals. This egged him on and so far it had helped him ignore the growing fatigue in his body.

Speaking of which… why did Seth want to destroy the world? As far back as Horus could remember, the chaos god's intentions were always domination and power over the lands, not total annihilation. Something was amiss here, and Horus knew some gods, like Thoth would have loved to unravel this mystery in a more peaceful situation. The falcon god personally was fine with beating the living hell out of his uncle. Only problem was that he couldn't do that now, even though he was trying really hard.

Seth struck out, sweeping in a wide arc with his hand, barely missing Horus.

\- Slow as always! ‒ the falcon god taunted his foe, even though it was mainly luck that he dodged that one.

\- Better be slow and indestructible than tired and helpless ‒ Seth chuckled deeply. ‒ Wouldn't you agree, _war god_?

\- Go to hell ‒ murmured Horus in frustration and anger.

He lashed out again, with the same result.

\- Really, when will you grow tired of t—? ‒ said Seth but was interrupted by a wave crashing against his feet.

The chaos god was standing in a lake-ish, calm and wide part of the river, and below the surface the Goddess of All Waters, Nephthys was swimming around like a dolphin, evading his stomps and attacks with grace. Horus was immensely grateful for her aid. He knew that without her constant distractions they would be dead already. He glanced to his right. Around the other end of the chasm, Anubis was trying remain hidden behind a cliff, recovering from a blow that brushed by him but still felt like being hit by a truck. That was the other reason why Horus was attacking with his chains so frequently, even though it was completely pointless: to draw the chaos god's attention **away** from the jackal.

Seth suddenly let out a roar and thrust his hands up against the sky. From his flame-coated body invisible waves of Chaos erupted and swept into every direction. Horus stumbled back, unable to evade the attack. He could feel the shockwave approaching but then in an instant it… somehow **parted** just before him. No physical harm came to him but he was pushed back and sommersaulted over his head before jumping to his feet again. Confused he looked around. Seth was too busy trying to spot Nephthys in the water to notice the strange phenomenon. Horus glanced in the direction of Anubis and made a decision. Gathering all of his might, he shouted over the mental Chaos-induced static:

\- _Nephthys, try to distract him for a bit! I need to check on Anubis!_

- _… Got it!_

That woman was brave, maybe even more so than any of the gods. Horus turned into a falcon and performed a mad dash towards the cliff. He changed back and skidded to a crouching stop before the jackal god.

Anubis was in a bad shape. He was heaving, grabbing his side, obviously trying hard not to cry out in pain.

\- Was that you? ‒ asked Horus.

At first, out of habit, he wanted to open with the line "You okay?" but thankfully he stopped himself a moment too soon.

-… Ye—yeah ‒ panted Anubis. ‒ I—I felt what Seth was about to do and— and I wanted to save you guys from it. Somehow that wave… or whatever… obeyed but… Horus, it **hurts**!

 _Wimp_ , hissed Isfet in Horus' mind, trying to make the falcon god utter that word.

\- Yeah, I guessed that ‒ he grimaced instead. ‒ Look, don't do that again, okay? We will think of something. Just try to pull yourself togethe—

 _*STOMMPP!*_

Seth let out a gleeful "HA!" then kicked the water into the air. From the foam, Nephthys' form tumbled out, smacked against the rock wall and fell right back into the lake.

\- No! ‒ chocked Anubis. ‒ Mother!

Horus bit off a stream of curses. Seth was taking them out one by one!

An idea formed in his mind, but he immediately hated it. Unfortunately, no other options were available.

\- Anubis? ‒ he turned his attention back to the jackal. ‒ Look, I know I just said you should stay low, but… scratch that now! We are going to need that Chaos-power of yours.

Anubis looked confused but soon the fog of pain cleared from his eyes as he began to suspect the falcon god's plan.

\- You're saying that…?

\- Can you manipulate the shield around Seth?

\- I—I don't know… I can try but… my power is very limited.

\- All we need is the smallest of opening in the right place!

-… Where? - the jackal asked after a deep breath.

Horus stared at Seth who was still hunting for his wife.

\- Between his shoulder blades ‒ he finally decided. ‒ That spot is very hard to defend and a blow there would be most effective… even if not decisive.

\- Okay, I'll do my best ‒ huffed Anubis, a determined look on his face. ‒ But considering everything… even if I can pull it off, it will only be for a moment or two.

\- That is enough ‒ said Horus, interrupting the nasty comments Chaos was whispering to him. ‒ Just give a sign when you open the hole.

\- Will a painful scream from my part suffice? ‒ Anubis let go of a weak grin.

-… Yeah, that can work ‒ the falcon god nodded grimly, knowing that his cousin was **not** joking: it probably **will** happen.

The jackal slowly pushed himself up a little.

\- Go ‒ he said. ‒ I will start gathering my energy for it. But I'll need a few seconds.

Horus turned back into a bird of prey and shot up the sky to begin his kamikaze-like assault on the Chaos God. Anubis took a deep breath, closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to find once again that inner… strength, source?... with what he controlled Isfet. The very knowledge that he possessed such trait sickened him but he pushed himself to actively search for it.

For his mother and the world, he **would** bring down Seth.

oooOOOooo

As stupid as these two demons were, they still managed cut a terrifying image, as Cleo was forced to remember. Both Venemo and Nahaher wore dark brown rags (how they got such huge pieces of clothing, she would never know) and had long, tangled, muddy, dirty fur all over the bodies. Venemo was more of a sickly pale greenish color, while Nahaher was of brass and light brown. Both had long, dark, unruly, greasy hair resembling the headdresses of the gods somewhat. Their faces were distorted and ugly and greatly resembled the sloth Sid from that animated movie Ice Age. Their legs were relatively short, their arms ridiculously long (with three-fingered hands), so they moved mostly like apes. Their mouths were filled with yellow fangs, bones, rotten meat, pieces of armor and weapons stuck in between them.

And, just like nearly every pair of brothers ever, they were always at each other's throats over objects they found.

\- I SAW IT FIRST! ‒ thundered Venemo, tugging on the Boat of Millions of Years.

\- BUT I GOT IT! - answered Nahaher in an equal volume and pulled in the opposite direction.

The hull creaked painfully. Even this divine vehicle wouldn't last for long in such conditions. The constant rocking back and forth disoriented its passenger who were unable to get on their feet as a result. Cleo felt like she was about the throw up, the movement and the pungent stench of the monsters were too much for her. Next to her, Ra cursed in ancient Egyptian, desperately trying (and failing) to grab at least the side of the boat. Bastet and Luxor had the most luck with gaining foothold: they both used their claws to steady themselves more or less. The goddess and Gramps made sure Thoth would not fall off, while Cleo and Tut helped each other.

\- 'S MINE TOY! - roared Venemo, finally jerking the boat out of his brother's hands.

Cleo found herself flying over the monster's head, along with the rest of the crew. The sky and the ground danced around her madly, she couldn't even judge when she would hit the ground and die. She screamed, her voice mixed together with the others' cries. In the last possible moment, however, they stopped abruptly in their spinning, freezing in mid-air, maybe two feet away from the ground. The stop was so sudden it knocked the air right out of her lungs, but Cleo managed to recover quickly. Faint white light surrounded all of them, and the source was Thoth. The ibis god still had his eyes closed but somehow he managed to stop their fall… with telekinesis, perhaps. At least, that was Cleo's guess. The wisdom god's mind was probably strong enough to move objects.

A moment later the light flickered and died out, letting them smack into the pavement. Thoth let out a shaky breath while sitting on the ground, then fell over like a ragdoll and stayed that way.

\- Thoth! ‒ shouted Bastet as she bounced there.

This time, not even a slap made the ibis god stir. He was out cold.

\- Oh no! ‒ mouthed Tut, not daring to utter any sound.

Cleo looked behind them and she felt her mouth drying out. Ra was already on the move, hands literally blazing as he dashed towards the demon pair. With a ferocious swing of his arm, the god shot out a fireball that hit Venemo on the left shoulder. The monster let out a painful howl and dropped the boat which plummeted right into the pavement, dangerously close to the stomping feet of the giants.

\- DO NOT JUST STAND THERE! ‒ shrieked Ra back at them. ‒ WE CANNOT LET THEM DESTROY THE VESSEL!

Cleo needed a moment to fully apprehend what he said. If the Boat of Millions of Years gets destroyed… then time shall **never** flow again, not even if Order is restored! It wasn't connected to Ra, but to the vehicle! Oh that can't be good…

\- Cleo, old man, stay with Thoth! ‒ ordered Bastet. ‒ Drag him to safety! Luxor, guard them!

\- Yes, milady ‒ the cat briefly nodded.

\- But— ‒ Cleo wanted to protest.

\- No buts! ‒ hissed the goddess before running after Ra.

Tut stayed in one place, uncertain of what to do.

\- Go! ‒ Gramps urged him. ‒ You have that fancy staff… we can't do much against those creeps.

\- You are right, old man ‒ said Tut, grim determination all over his face before speeding off as well.

Cleo and Gramps began to tug at Thoth's arm to pull him next to a half-demolished brickwall. In the meantime, she uttered a soft prayer for all of them to… whoever hearing it.


	36. Converse

**In which it's the perfect time for some civilized talk-it-out.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Converse_**

Anubis couldn't help but feel an oddly misplaced, grudge-filled respect for Seth… in a weird way. Being the Chaos god for thousands of years had to be one **hell** of an achievement, he mused to himself as he began to expand his power over Isfet, already hurting from the attempt. The jackal god had to admit it: he realized just how much willpower Seth actually possessed for pulling all those horrifyingly stunning spells and attacks of his. It was incredible, he maybe even surpassed the rest of the gods in this field. Anubis had to wonder just how much the chaos god actually had to suffer during the war against Horus… clearly far more than they had guessed.

He shook his head and gritted his teeth as a fresh wave of pain washed over him, gradually growing stronger: Isfet was fighting against him without end and he really needed to concentrate not to lose his already shaky hold on it. It almost felt like grasping a demon fish straight out of the acid water of an Underworlder lake: slippery, painful and dangerous. His ears somehow picked up the screech of Horus. The falcon god in his animal form was performing more and more reckless dash-attacks against Seth, his tiny body covered in holy light as he shot through the sky like a shooting star. It was an impressive sight but unfortunately also fruitless. Even like this he couldn't pierce through the Chaosflame-shield. Anubis shut it out, just like everything else.

It just became worse when he actively began to search for the unholy armor with his mind. The experience was already pretty unearthly to begin with: he felt like hovering in the middle of nothing, surrounded by red streams and stars, every bit of chaotic energy in his proximity. He figured usually it would be quite empty but now it was buzzing with activity. Isfet was literally banging on the door of Order, probably on the verge of kicking it down at this point. Anubis, with some effort, ignored every other star and went for the biggest one: the shield of his father. Just nearing it with his consciousness worsened his condition.

 _You know what, Isfet? We can do this_ _ **all**_ _day_ , Anubis hissed in his mind. _I am_ _ **sick**_ _and_ _ **tired**_ _of your stupid tricks with pain and your entire presence. It is such a shame that I was born with your curse, but you know, using it against you will be actually fun!_

A new wave of agony made him grit his teeth.

 _Look who doesn't like the idea_ , he chocked. _You are afraid of losing your only useful pawn in the world of Order, huh? You think I wouldn't figure it out?! That_ _ **you**_ _are behind all of this and not Seth!_

A soft, almost angry hum filled the aether around Anubis, drowning out the remaining sounds of the battle in the real world.

 _Oh, you are angry, I get it_ , Anubis went on. _You are so close to winning but if I succeed here today, you might just lose it all. I've always thought Chaos liked gambling but it turns out…_

 ** _St—st—stupid ch-ch-child…_**

 _Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know who's the more stupid one here? You are. If you had planned forward,_ _ **really**_ _forward, you'd not have had allowed Seth to torture me and take my body over. That little_ mishap _sort of toughened me up. Or did you think it would break me? Logical… but it backfired._

 ** _St-st-stubborn f-f-fool…_**

 _Seriously, is that all you can say?_ Anubis huffed in annoyance, masking his growing agony as he reached for the star almost nonchalantly. _You know… I was wondering. Why is Seth not here to stop me? I'm fairly sure he can sense my presence by now…_

And then he saw it. The star was not a star, it was an orb. And inside the orb was a figure in a fetus-like pose.

 _Seth?_ Anubis called out.

The god actually stirred at this and raised his head a little to look at him. The jackal expected anger, hatred, determination and a mental battle with the older god. What he saw instead…

 _Hey there… kid_ , Seth said in a low voice. _You are still kicking, huh? Always said you were more like me than your mother._

The chaos god was apathetic. Literally zero emotion filled his voice and his eyes as he looked at his son. Anubis was so surprised he forgot about the pain for a second. Seth's figure, although largely the same as his real-world one, had an odd characteristic: it was filled with red lines, running on his body like veins. Most of them ran into his eyes and jaws, making him look like one of those weird warriors from human tribes living deep inside jungles.

 _…_ _Uhm, yeah well… I came to end that party you are throwing_ , Anubis managed to find his voice.

 _Go ahead_ , Seth waved tiredly.

 _…_ _Just like that?_ Anubis blinked. _You're not going to fight me or anything?_

 _Why? Either way, I am doomed_. Seth snorted. _Chaos wins, I die. You win, I get sealed away to somewhere once more. Do what you want. Isfet might just crush you, or you destroy its plans. Does not matter to me._

 _Why don't you fight back?_ Anubis asked. _If you_ _ **knew**_ _Isfet's been using you, then—_

 _Fight a part of my own soul?_ Seth interrupted, slightly irritated. _Fight the source that gives me my power and my reason to_ _ **exist**_ _? I was born solely to represent Chaos in Order, nothing else. Just like you were born to represent death and… nevermind. Or Horus, to represent the power of the Pharaoh and of Egypt. I_ _ **cannot**_ _fight against it, kid!_

 _I am to represent_ _ **what**_ _?_ Anubis hiccupped before shaking his head. _Look. At least let us win! Don't tell me dying is better than staying alive. Even if—_

Seth let out a dry, humorless laugh at this.

 _Heh, you really had it easy with this banishment of yours… if we can even call that,_ he said.

 _If you want to win pity out of me, I'm just saying your real body is currently trying to kill us so that won't work,_ Anubis chided. _Eh, forget this! You messed me up terribly, so I am going to mess up this lovely spell you got here, whether you help me or not!_

He began surveying the surface of the red star, looking for… well, he had no idea what he was looking for but hoped he would recognize it upon spotting it. Seth followed his movements with his eyes.

 _Besides, what do you mean by "solely"?_ Anubis said absent-mindedly, mind still focused on the tasks of coming up with a plan and not going crazy from pain. _Can you tell me one god who has a single mission in his or her life? Like, I represent death, but am also a judge of souls, inventor of mummification, a friend of the pharaoh and Cleo Carter… Or mother. Goddess of All Waters, but also of mourning and magic. The list goes on. I'm pretty sure you are not here just to represent Chaos._

 _You talk too much_ , Seth huffed. _A_ _habit you got from your mortal "friends"?_

 _They_ _ **are**_ _my friends, father_ , Anubis said.

His "mouth" seemed to work on its own, his entire being tired of the agony it had to endure. His brain dulled and for some reason it thought talking to the most hated god in his life in a neutral tone was a good idea. Heck, he even called him "father" just then but he barely registered it. His mind tried to focus on surviving and finding a solution and closed out everything else. Including his common sense, it seemed.

 _Like, there are deserts, yes? Foreigners? Storms? Aren't you the god of those too?_ he went on. _They are not connected to Chaos._

 _They are its symbols, stupid child_ , Seth snorted.

 ** _Sometimes_** _they are_ , Anubis pointed out. _Not always. You know… I actually like this world. How it changes. How everything has more than one side or meaning…_

 _Now you are just rambling._

 _What I'm trying to say is you can't be here_ _ **just**_ _to serve Isfet. You'd not have been born from a goddess of Order then, no? There has to be something else._

 _And if there is?_ _What do I win from it? Chaos will remain with me for the rest of my life_ , Seth growled. _Being dead and being sealed away for good, they are basically the same thing!_

 _Well, you have the opportunity to come back from the latter… like you did just now_ , Anubis said simply.

 _I lose everything both ways_ , Seth shook his head. _At least when I am dead, I do not have to face those losses._

 _I never thought you to be a coward_ , Anubis said softly.

This earned him a wave of anger coming from the older god.

 _I mean it_ , the jackal god pressed on. _What you just said… that's cowardice right there._

 _Watch your mouth you stupid little brat!_ Seth sneered. _You are one to talk!_

 _Yes, I am, actually_ , Anubis nodded, barely not touching the orb, eyes focused on its surface. He began to see a pattern: swirling tendrils showed themselves, slowly moving, twitching like the tentacles of dying squids. But instead of weakness these thrummed with evil power, determined to protect their puppet.

He also realized he was growing numb from the pain at this point.

 _These past days I have been a coward too_ , he said. _Not daring to tell Cleo and the pharaoh in time what my banishment caused, because I was afraid I would lose the little peace and shelter I was presented with. But you know… I kind of realized that. I was forced to realize that, in fact._ _And now I'm trying to fix the problems I've caused. Pretty hard work, and you are_ _ **not**_ _making it easier._

 _You thought I would go down without a fight?_ Seth mumbled.

 _No. But… you are still a coward. You just said it yourself_. Anubis shook his head. _But you know the best thing about cowardice? It's that you can change it fairly easily compared to other features. I did it. Horus did it, admitting his mistakes. Surely you can too._

 _First lesson of the desert life: you do not do_ _ **anything**_ _unless you gain something from it_ , Seth huffed, _What would I win from "changing" myself?_

 _A future?_ Anubis offered. _A chance to live on and keep doing what you do best? I don't know, these sound good for me._

 _You are not me, kid._

 _But we_ _ **are**_ _related… as much as I hate it. You've just said I am more like you than my mother. Maybe you are right… that would suck, but maybe you are right. In that case, I_ _ **am**_ _onto something, aren't I?_

 _Anubis, stop it_ , Seth snapped sternly. _You are already half-dead, can you not feel it?_

 _Y—yeah… yeah, I can, actually_ , Anubis let out a humorless laugh. _Feels weird… I mean, not feeling anything with my body, basically._

 _Isfet is killing you._

 _It sure is_ , the jackal god nodded. _But I can't quit now. Everyone's depending on me. And all this is… well, it became personal. Thanks to you partially. So no, I won't stop it._

Seth did not answer immediately.

 _You are just as stupid as your mother is_ , he finally concluded.

Anubis had to laugh at this. Truly laugh. His voice rang across the void, the Chaos-powers actually flinching away from it.

 _Good, I was beginning to grow worried that I only have your trace in me!_

 _This is not a game, Anubis!_

 _No, it's not. It's a fight to the death for our future._ Anubis nodded, slowly raising his hand. _And… I'm determined to do everything in my power and beyond to win._

 _Sacrificing yourself will not make things better_ , Seth growled. _This is what Isfet_ _ **wants**_ _, can you not see it? All it needs is one god dead and the Order is history. And you are the best candidate right now!_

 _Well then… I just have to prove it wrong, yes?_ Anubis smiled slightly. _Just have to survive this ordeal. Not that big of a deal._

He extended his fingers, reaching for the red orb. He knew he might just die if he touched it. But there were no options here. He had to do it. For the world and for himself. It's kinda ironic… committing possible suicide for your own good.

Well, the world was already upside down, so…

Before his index finger touched the orb on a specific spot, Seth's claw appeared out of nowhere on the other side and touched it before him. The tendrils drew away, as if touched by fire and the texture thinned considerably.

 _Stupid child_ , Seth grumbled.

Anubis just grinned like a fool for a split second.

The world truly **was** upside down today.


	37. Warrior

**In which a hysterical moment might just actually be a good thing.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Warrior_**

You want a textbook definition for "stupid"? Just look at Venemo and Nahaher and you'll get it. They were merely lumbering fools, nothing more. Heck, they didn't even have magical powers. Unfortunately however, their sheer size seemed to be a perfect compensator for the lack of brains. Cleo's first encounter with these guys involved her, Tut and Luxor chasing after a frozen mammoth drifting in an Underworld river to a Neverending Waterfall (yeah, it's a long story, and as always, it was the fault of Tutenstein). Back then the pharaoh was basically trashed by the demons and it was only due to his quick thinking that they escaped: he turned the two brothers on each other which earned them enough time to retrieve the knocked-aside Scepter of Was and open a portal big enough to transport themselves and the mammoth back to the museum. Even still, they barely made it, Nahaher almost caught them.

Cleo had thought that they were merely unlucky that day, that's why Tut could not pull off some tricky light show magic that would have sent the demons spiraling over the edge of the hovering cliffs of the Underworld.

She hated to realize how _wrong_ she was.

The immense size of their bodies meant a ridiculous amount of defense. Even that first fire ball from Ra was more like a surprise than actual damage. With two giant slaps on his own shoulder, Venemo had put out the small fires in his fur and turned to the much small sun god.

\- Bug! – he bellowed.

\- Shiny bug – grunted Nahaher in agreement.

This obviously pissed Ra off whose crown shone brighter and spat embers. Bastet and Tut quickly arrived to the scene and the three of them began unleashing an array of magical beams and orbs, bombarding the demons with them. With a deafening roar the monsters retaliated and charged straight at their attackers. Ra dodged to the right, while Bastet dragged the slow Tut out of the way to the left. Nahaher skidded to a halt, while his even more dimwitted brother zoomed by, literally turned around on his heels and slammed his giant palm down, aiming at the sun god. Ra staggered back but the surprising maneuver was too fast and the next second he found himself lying on his stomach with an unbearably huge weight crushing him into the pavement. His battle Ankh skidded far away and he himself had to struggle to somehow withstand the force, at least for a time.

\- Ra! – cried out Bastet and tried to jump there, Tut still held in her arms, but a huge green-furred foot appeared out of nowhere.

Venemo tried to kick them away like a football but he could not compete with the agility of a cat. Bastet twisted her whole body across the air, masterfully avoiding the giant limb, then landed on her feet and with a loud hiss snatched her knives out of her belt while Tut raised his staff. Venemo stood between them and his brother holding the sun god captive.

The body of a god is very durable, it can withstand far worse things than a human physique, especially at full health. However, it **does** have its own limits and Ra felt like he was about to cross that limit. Nahaher noticed his foe struggling against his strength so he shifted his weight and put as much of it onto his arm as possible. This made the sun god gasp from pain. He would rather have emitted a bird-screech but his body was already in too much strain and he couldn't muster the strength. His arms providing the counterforce to the demon's shook but held. In the meantime Ra began to raise his own body heat as fast as he possibly could under these conditions. It has been a while since he last used this tactic, but it **did** work against Apep once.

Nahaher was distracted by Venemo's struggle with the cat goddess and the pharaoh (furry small bug and even smaller bug). Bastet was admittedly not the best at ranged battles, her magical projectiles were rather underwhelming. So she decided to turn the monster's size against him and began scaling the huge thing, elegantly avoiding the hands grabbing after her, using every opportunity to plunge her daggers into the essence. Tutenstein was the diversion in this case. He ran around, firing lasers from his Scepter, shouting insults and generally being the annoying little punk he usually was. However, Chaos also had something to say in the matter as most beams simply missed their target. Tut had always been a good marksman, there was no denying that. The fact that he missed something so huge so often could only mean that Isfet returned to its "spell-altering" tactics from earlier.

It took a while for Nahaher's miniscule brain to **finally** get the memo that something was burning a hole into his palm. With an earsplitting roar he snatched his hand away, revealing a blazing and quite dazed Ra, half-crushed into the asphalt. The sun god shook his head and tried to catch his breath.

 _Just a second_ , he thought to himself as he fought for total control over his body once more.

Unfortunately a second for his clouded mind was a minute in real time, long enough for Nahaher to gather himself together and decide to exact his revenge on the shiny (and **really** hot) bug.

\- ME SQUISH YOU! – he bellowed and lifted his foot up.

By that time, Ra had barely begun to drag himself away. His body heat started to melt the asphalt around him, slowly turning it into a lake of tar that stuck to him and further hindered his already sluggish movements.

And if there was one thing Nahaher and Venemo were good at, it was stepping on things. Only this time, a huge bang and a ray of light knocked the leg aside and also shot through it at the ankle. Nahaher reared back, almost fell over, roaring from pain. Ra, struggling in his self-made prison, noted with a gradually clearing mind that the blast did NOT come from him. With some difficulty he raised his head, only to meet a most peculiar scene. Not far from them, the mortal girl Cleo Carter was standing with shaky legs, holding up the smoking battle Ankh of the sun god, its end aimed right at the giant demon.

\- You stay away from them! – shrieked the girl, voice distorted and high-pitched.

oooOOOooo

What was good about Egyptian magic? A great many things, truly.

Egyptian magic is actually pretty easy to call upon, all you need is the smallest of affinity for it. Of course closed-minded tunnel-visioned idiots like Dr. Horace Bedhety would never be able to cast a spell, no matter how many they would chant. But Cleo Carter? She was a natural. Although still quite inexperienced, she always managed to find unconsciously the power within every magical item and set it free. From scrolls to amulets and even the Scepter of Was, she could always get at least **some** magic out of them. It may have been due to her great interest and knowledge of Egyptian mythology, or maybe to some gift she was born with.

Regardless of the answer, once Cleo saw Ra pinned down by Nahaher, she panicked.

\- Luxor, Gramps, stay with Thoth! – she shouted and without a backward glance leaped out from behind the remains of the wall and dashed right in the middle of the battlefield.

She had no idea what she could do, all she knew was that she **had** to help somehow! Maybe she could get Nahaher's attention, or… or…

She saw the Ankh of the sun god lying on the road. The golden symbol of Life was made to banish the demons and monsters and it could even hurt Apep, the Serpent of Chaos itself. Cleo grabbed it and, with some difficulty, lifted it up. It must have been made of pure gold. Still struggling with it, she looked at Nahaher who was distracted by Venemo's battle with Tut and Bastet. The demon's hand began smoking all of a sudden, but he only reacted after a couple of seconds, snatching it away with a howl. Cleo expected Ra to spring to his feet and began bombarding the monster with fire balls once more and she almost let out a relieved sigh. What she saw instead made her blood freeze. The sun god was basically flattened into the road, his blazing body melting the asphalt around him which in return got stuck to him, effectively trapping him. He was also completely dazed, unable to get out of the way in time.

Roaring in fury, Nahaher raised his foot to squish Ra. There was no way the sun god would survive that in this condition. With a defiant shout, Cleo raised the suddenly feather-light Ankh and let her emotions do the rest.

Another interesting thing about Egyptian magic was that most of its artifacts were almost or most definitely self-aware. The Scepter of Was surely had a mind of its own for instance, and most other weapons did as well. Shabtis worked this way too: they were little sculptures with dormant consciousness, only activated with the right spell. Some relics needed to be talked to, others wanted you to prove your worth to them before lending their power to you, and others merely reacted to your state of mind. Ra's Ankh fell into the latter category: it used emotions to cast spells, and it was no secret why. Ra was a temperamental one, not only because he was a fire god basically, but also because back in the **really** old days, when only he, Thoth, Atum and Apep were alive from the pantheon, Ra had another task next to being the sun god: he represented the emotional side of humanity, the raw potential of their willpower. His immense strength came from his unwavering sense of duty, his persistence, his emotions. The stronger the feeling, the better. It was no surprise then that his weapon of choice reflected this.

All feelings held different level of potential. Indifference was the bottom of everything, while blazing rage or unconditional love were like ten nuclear bombs launched straight at your face. Upon seeing Nahaher attack, Cleo involuntarily poured everything into the Ankh, charging it up with power. She was scared beyond belief, for her family, for her friends, for the world, for herself; desperate that the world was on the verge of complete destruction and there was **nothing** she could do to help; enraged at Seth, at Chaos, at the demons, at her own weakness; yet determined to do everything, possible and impossible, to somehow win this war, to survive, to make sure her beloved ones and the world live on…

The best thing about emotions was that gods and mortals had it the same. Their love and hate, joy and sadness, hopes and fears were equal. Thus, as Cleo charged up the Ankh and let loose a devastating beam of magic at Nahaher, it had the same power as if it had been launched by Ra himself in the same state of mind. The attack tore right through the ankle of the demon, making him rear back in pain.

\- You stay away from them! – screamed Cleo from the top of her lungs, on the verge of total hysteria due to the sudden rush of adrenalin (which only raised the Ankh's powers). – You will not hurt anybody else ever again!

Nahaher sneered, showing his horrible fangs. He stomped with his feet but forgot about his injury, thus his blasted leg gave in under the weight and he fell to one knee with a loud _thud_. Ra somehow dragged himself out of the instant tar lake and quickly scrambled into a safe distance, bits of asphalt still clung to his skin.

The demon swung his arm at Cleo but he was too slow.

\- I SAID BEGONE! - she shouted and fired another beam from the Ankh.

This time she hit the face of the monster dead on, causing him to burst into desert sand and scatter to the wind.

Cleo let the Ankh fell down and tug at her arms again as she exhaled loudly.

oooOOOooo

To call Ra "old" was the understatement of the year. He wasn't old, he was **ancient**. The member of the Original Four, Father of Gods, First Pharaoh of Egypt, Ruler of the Golden Age, Lord of the Sun, Vanquisher of Chaos, The Brilliant One, He Who Brings Light, He Who Sees All…

Well, for the life of him, he could **not** recall seeing something like this before: a mortal girl wielding his weapon, killing one of the largest demons ever to live with it. Of course Nahaher was not erased completely, his remains would return to the River of Night to reform once more after a century or so, just like every dead demons did. Still, it was a most impressive achievement, one that not even the stern God of the Sun could deny. He slowly pushed himself up from the ground and walked up to the girl who was breathing loudly, holding onto the Ankh with some difficulty, knees slightly buckled under the weight.

\- That was… - he began, but Cleo visibly flinched and snapped her head in his direction.

\- Oh I'm so sorry, Your Majesty! – she stammered and tried to lift up the Ankh again. – I did not mean to defile your weapon—I mean, symbol—I mean—

Ra shushed her with a tired wave of his hand.

\- Relax, girl, you did well – he said, before turning his attention to the other big fight on the field.

Venemo didn't get the memo that his brother just died, probably because he was busy with a dagger stuck in one of his eyes. He was roaring loudly, desert sand pouring from the wound. He shook his entire body madly, trying to get rid of a very persistent Bastet clinging to his fur. The goddess tried to stab her other dagger into the neck, but being thrown around so madly, she had little success in it. Tut was also getting really frustrated for not being able to hit his obvious target.

For a long second, Ra merely followed the epic battle with great interest, making Cleo hold her breath back (for what, she could not tell). Then the god's bright green eyes flashed back to her.

\- Would you do the honors, Cleo Carter? – he theatrically gestured to the demon's trashing form, a small smile appearing on his beak.

As expected, the mortal girl froze up again from sheer surprise.

\- Wha—Who—me? Me? – she stammered.

\- Cleo Carter, Vanquisher of Demons. Sounds good, no? – Ra went on, gathering energy into his hands to finish the fight for good.

-… Y—yeah, I guess it do—does – Cleo looked back at Venemo uncertainly.

Then she scowled darkly and once again raised the charged Ankh without any difficulty, aiming it at the monster.

Ra was not really a god interested in humans all that much. He had been a king since time began and even after he lost his throne to the treacherous Isis (and the even **more** treacherous Thoth, while we're at it…), he still retained his high position and the general respect that surrounded him. He never truly had to deal with mortals, to be frank. He sailed the Boat of Millions of Years down the River of Night to bring in the new day every dawn, his crown shared its warmth and light with the world, enabled life to flourish, but he himself had always been a distant god, even if he was the embodiment of emotions and willpower. Thoth also had been distant, he however taught the humans to write and to learn, to ask the right questions, so eventually he grew closer to them. Ra had no such business with the mortals. Therefore, their achievements more often than not sailed right over his head, he could not really care less about them.

But besides all this, Ra was a warrior, and he admired strength, bravery, even recklessness if it had any merit. In the many wars he had witnessed over the eons, he saw many soldiers and military leaders come up with incredibly stupid and/or reckless tactics, to save comrades, to win a battle, to surprise the hell out of their opponents. He liked those, he might have even learnt from them, had his daily battles were the same as those of the mortals (alas, they weren't). He also remunerated the efforts of those who faced their fears and desperation and went into battle anyway, even if they fell in the end. Therefore, Cleo Carter's reckless charge right into the middle of the battlefield and effective sweeping with magic did not leave the usually stoic god without impression.

The girl was a brave one. Maybe a bit crazy, too. But honestly, spending so much time with a pharaoh, being his baby-sitter basically… Ra could understand it, if that was truly the case. Also, it was well-due time that the sun god did something out of the ordinary, just for the heck of it. Why not charge into battle alongside a 15 year-old mortal girl?

Yeah, he could do that.

With a clear and proud bird-screech and blazing hands, Ra launched himself at the demon, while Cleo began circling around, trying to find the right spot from which she could fire the beams.

\- Cleo! What are you doing here? – shouted Tut when the two of them met. – Didn't Bastet tell you to—?

\- Yeah, change in plans! – Cleo interrupted, swinging the way-too-large Ankh, trying to find the best hold on it. – How about we just kill this guy now?

\- Alright, I'm in! – the pharaoh laughed and together they let loose their destructive array of blasts.

Venemo stood no chance against the overwhelming force and was quickly reduced to a big heap of sand, with Gramps and Luxor cheering from the background. The four warriors, two gods, one mortal, one undead stood above the small hill, panting hard but victoriously.

\- Thank Atum it is over – huffed Bastet. – I thought they would **never** die!

\- We all did well – Ra smiled slightly. – Now let us—

A horrible, all-consuming, omnipotent roar suddenly erupted from everywhere, shaking the world itself, forcing everyone, mortal or immortal, onto the ground, clutching their heads, shouting for mercy.


	38. Arrow

**In which a small bird of prey is betted against a tower-sized monster of Chaos. Who will win?**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Arrow_**

Horus'd have never thought it to be possible, but… he was getting dizzy. He had been exerting much more effort in the past two or three hours (or maybe a lot more, he couldn't tell anymore) than usual and also this damned roundabout he was forced into around the chaos god who just refused to go the **hell** down…

He caught the storm clouds swimming before his hawk vision again and he shook his small head strongly to get them back to their proper place. He should have saved his strength for that certain blow (IF Anubis could pull that stunt off, that is…), but now both Nephthys and the jackal god was out of the equation and he alone had to keep Seth busy lest he killed one of them.

Worse yet, Seth was beginning to see through his plan. The chaos god stopped the taunting and his attention was more and more off the falcon god, instead he surveyed the canyon around him, looking for the other two. His Chaos-shield did the defending for him. This sudden silence was a bit weird, Horus had to admit.

Finally, after a few more rounds, Seth completely lost interest, and the falcon had to use his one stupid desperate idea: performing a free-fall he zoomed by the ear of his enemy and at the right moment he let out the loudest, most ear-splitting screech he could muster. The chaos god snorted and actually reared back out of instinct. Horus almost let out a relieved sigh that he got the spotlight on himself yet again, when out of nowhere a giant red fist came crushing down. Only his battle-honed reflexes saved him from the worst as he did a barrel roll, but the Chaos-shield still brushed past him and knocked him off his course.

Horus desperately tried to straighten himself out of the mad spin but the momentum was far too strong and he fell face-first into the lake. Normally he wouldn't have been fazed by such incident, but now his tired body couldn't take the strain and he almost lost consciousness as he began to sink. His wings flapped weakly but uselessly, he couldn't see anything but bubbles, a horrible dull ring filled his head. Horus fought against the numbness that began creeping into his limbs, by some miracle he managed to stay awake.

He didn't want to go out like this. He will **not** go out like this! He flapped his wings to at least get himself into the right position and see the surface of the water. A sudden wave of weakness washed over him however and his limbs simply stopped in the middle of the movement. He tried once more but the result was even more pathetic than before.

No. No. No no no no… this can't be!

Not too far from him something large moved underwater with a loud _thud_ : one of Seth's feet. The god was looking for his enemies.

 _Anubis!_ the little alarms rang in Horus' head, and he tried one more time.

Nothing. He couldn't even make his body move anymore. Wasn't he supposed to be panicking at this point? Then why did he feel so empty, all of a sudden?

 _You will defeat Seth and avenge your father! You will rule Egypt!_

 _The first lesson you must understand, young one, is that everyone has his limits…_

 _You are not fit to be king! Not even your_ _ **father**_ _was fit to be king!_

 _Why are you doing this to me?! I_ _ **hate**_ _you!_

 _Your mother is merely a backstabbing witch, and your father, a simple fool, nothing more. It will be interesting to see what_ _ **you**_ _shall become…_

 _You know… I think you are pretty cute. And strong. And brave._

 _Horus… Your Highness, please, let me see my son just one last time!_

 _After all this… you_ _ **dare**_ _ask for my daughter's hand, you brat?!… You are a reckless one, I give you that._

 _Please, Horus! Do not say anything you cannot take back later._

 _Look, Egypt is more beautiful than ever! The pharaohs have truly done a wondrous work!_

 _So… this is it. This is how it all ends. With Sleep… May we see each other in another life, my son._

 _We… are awake? … We are awake! WE ARE LIVING AGAIN!_

 _Oh Hooooorus, the pharaoh needs to speak with you at once!_

 _YOU RETARDED FALCON! TELL ME YOU DID NOT DO WHAT I AM THINKING YOU DID!_

 _You have a very important and hard task and I am very proud of you. Keep on going, you have my support._

These flooding memories were also probably not a good sign. And why was the water growing darker around him?

 _Nephthys… Anubis…_

 ** _*THUD*_**

 _Seth…_

Horus fought against the numbness but it was all over and he knew it. Despite this, he didn't want to go down without a fight. History (IF there will be a history after today) shall NOT remember him as a weakling who gave up the fight!

Suddenly someone grabbed his small body. Warm hands began lifting him up to the surface. In the meantime strength poured into him and his vision finally cleared. The beaten form of Nephthys greeted him as the goddess ascended with increasing speed. After a second and a half, Horus' mind cleared and, realizing what was happening exactly, he flapped his wings, desperately trying to break free from the hold.

Nephthys was giving him every last bit of power she still possessed!

\- No, Nephthys! – Horus cried out. – We need you!

\- We need that **blow**! – the goddess retorted, her face holding only determination despite her obviously weakening aura. – Anubis is out, you are out, I am out… Only **you** can land that hit! Make it cou—

She had just enough strength to hold Horus out of the water. Seth's foot came crushing down in the exact same second. The falcon took off like a rocket, out of instinct, but the goddess was not so lucky: she was crashed into the lakebed.

Horus flew straight up to the sky like a shining arrow, a good chunk of his powerful aura returning to him. With an elegant move he dodged Seth's hand and soared way above the head of the chaos god. His eyes fell onto his enemy's back but he didn't see an opening. Oh gods, he was too late, wasn't he…

oooOOOooo

 _Pain pain pain pain PAIN_

Anubis screamed but no sound he could emit would accurately show the amount of sheer agony that flooded his body the moment he touched the orb's surface. It started from his right hand but didn't need a moment to spread everywhere. The void twisted around him as he lost his concentration (and his mind for a brief second, he was sure of it) and slipped away like a passing train. Before that however he felt someone grabbing his hand and shouting "Hang in there, son!" in his ear.

Then everything was gone, as if his senses turned off in rapid succession. His hearing, his smell, his vision, his whole right arm then his body…

oooOOOooo

An unearthly jackal howl, filled to the brim with agony, pierced through the air and just like that, a circular hole finally opened right between the shoulder blades on that cursed armor. It was barely big enough for Horus to fit through but the falcon began his mad dashing to it anyway.

He had to do it!

For his family.

For the world.

Horus poured every last bit of energy he had into his shining form as it plunged face-first through the opening and into the body of Seth, tearing through his clothes and skin and entering the essence.

…

All he saw was red. After a second he realized he reverted back into his original form and was currently flying backwards. His ears went dull… at least that's what he thought. Then he smacked into something rough (rock?) and with a painful and sharp snap his senses came back to him full swing, he saw a gigantic tower of red light consuming Seth, and he realized he **was** hearing something.

A roar so loud, so omnipotent, so **ancient** that it filled every atom in the air, in his body, in the world. There was **nothing** else but this sound, that's why Horus hasn't registered it at first.

The final howl of Isfet itself threatened to tear everything apart.

And then, as if cut by a knife, it was all over.

Horus laid motionlessly on his back, eyes staring unseeing at the thundering storm clouds above. His body was completely numb for a long time, but something abruptly flooded his blank mind.

Joy.

Joy so pure he had never felt before and his eyes welled up a bit.

\- Bless the Order – he whispered shakily to the sky.


	39. Aftermath

**In which well... it's the aftermath, really.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Aftermath_**

The horrible roar of Chaos was followed by a brief and heavy silence. It shattered like glass however when the aftershock hit and every living being in the city panicked.

The goddesses, who fought valiantly under the leadership of Ma'at once Horus left to save Thoth, managed to destroy the siege forces of the demons, but their victory was short-lived: the all-consuming Nun, the Ocean of Nothing rose rapidly and started to flood and literally vaporize the lower parts of the City, causing the deities to evacuate to the Overworld and help the rest of the pantheon. Their back-up was well-needed and gladly received, however once the howl of Isfet shook the earth itself, even the bravest of souls lost their mettle. Humans screamed and cried desperately, ancient instincts of pure fear waking up to the sound. Gods collapsed to the ground, trembling from exhaustion and despair, waiting for the world to end. Cleo desperately clung to Ra's arm, sobbing uncontrollably while the sun god tried his damnest on his hands and knees not to sink in utter panic as well.

Half an hour had passed since the abrupt end of the roar before the gods could finally began to gather themselves. Hopeful surprise spread slowly among them once they realized they were still alive.

The world was still standing.

Ra unsteadily stood up, absentmindedly and gently hushing the crying mortal girl.

\- Is it over? – he whispered, looking around. – Truly over?

The rain stopped, and it looked like as if the clouds were dispersing (even if it was with the pace of a pregnant slug). And soon, in the particles of his body, he also noticed a growing, calming presence.

Order was returning to its proper place.

Ra stared at the sky for long, feeling tension melt out of his limbs. Then he laughed, warmly, joyously, relieved beyond belief. His voice helped the mortals around him slowly calm down and soon even Bastet joined in, her ringing bell-like laugh merging with his father's.

They have won.

oooOOOooo

But victory did not come free.

Nashville was in ruins, the rampage of Seth and the demon army clearly shook the entire city to its core. Many humans had been saved and escorted to the safe havens, but despite the gods' best efforts, the casualties were still numerous. Collapsed buildings, fire, explosions, monsters, car accidents took their toll. How would the city recover from such a huge blow, no one knew. Only time could tell. The only advantage that came out of this was the fact that the gods managed to quarantine the demon infestation in the city, the rest of the world only had to cope with the natural disasters Chaos caused. The survivors in Nashville were shell-shocked, traumatized, broken, unable to find their place. The appearance of all these strange unknown beings only helped raising the confusion.

The gods themselves were barely in any better shape. They were tattered, exhausted, injured. Some of them were nearly overwhelmed by the army and it was only luck that they survived. Although the demons were driven back by the roar of Isfet (they knew it was the sound of defeat, not of victory), up until that very second they literally did all they could to make the gods' lives miserable. And they did a wondrous job at that… The pantheon could not recall a moment in their long existence when they were in this bad shape. The injuries ranged from cuts, bites and clawmarks to entire mutilations such as Sekhmet's left front paw that got sliced off in the heat of the battle. Thoth almost sank into coma, it took every trick up Imhotep's and Atum's sleeves to somehow save him from that. Still, upon waking up the ibis god lacked any sense of direction and of time for a good while. Ra along with some gods still capable of fighting, like Sobek and Wadjet, had to return briefly to the Underworld to sail through the River of Night on the incredibly run-down Boat of Millions of Years to bring in the new day and allow Time to flow again. They won against Apep, but of course the journey only earned more injuries.

In the middle of seizing up the losses and tending to the wounded, the gods suddenly realized they haven't heard from Horus' squad and Seth. According to Atum, the last he knew was that they were in the Grand Canyon somewhere. Ra, Isis, Bes and Atum took the sun god's bark there, and searched for over four hours, moving as fast as the damaged hull of the boat would allow it. The sun was pretty high on the sky, shining through the nearly-gone storm clouds, when they finally found them.

The battlefield did not yield triumph, only defeat on both sides. The searching party found the four missing gods in a dried out crater that was a lake once. On one end, the opening of the canyon caved in, creating a natural dam that held back the river from filling up the lakebed again, at least for a short time. It was already tumbling down from the pressure. In the crater three gods lied in different positions. Horus was sprawled out on some rocks that were probably once the shore of the lake, while Nephthys was found crushed into the ground, only her arms visible under the caked mud and rubble. Seth lied in the middle of the crater, surrounded by a deep dark burn mark and sand. The God of Chaos was in a horrible shape: most of his clothes literally turned to ashes, showing of his bare skin. His entire body looked like fiery acid was poured onto him: slightly smoldering marks, literal grooves in his skin were left behind by the chaotic energies that erupted from him upon his defeat. The worst was his head: the burn marks basically covered every inch of his skull, most lines ran into his tightly-shut eyes. He hugged himself, half curled up into a ball. His body twitched with pain every once in a while, his breaths rigid, dry, tortured.

But he was alive. Somehow.

It was Bes who spotted Anubis. The jackal god was on the cliffs surrounding the lakebed, somewhat hidden behind a standing rock. He lied on his side, one arm encircled around the stomach, his skin smoldering in some spots as if small fires broke out under it. His other arm, the right one was sprawled out, it had the same acid-like marks as his father. He too was suffering, even in this unconscious state, tremors running across his body every once in a while.

Atum stabilized them as much as he could with his magic, then they retrieved them onto the boat and headed home. On the voyage, Isis tended to her son and her sister with cooling and strength-replenishing magic while Atum dealt with the two more serious cases.

-… They shall never recover fully – the ram-headed god murmured sadly.

\- You mean Isfet—? – asked Ra.

\- Injuries from spells and weapons can be healed, essence can be restored just fine – Atum sighed, standing up. – But when it is the raw power of Chaos itself? Those damages are eternal. They might **lessen** in the course of time, but… fully heal? Never.

-… Will Seth make it? – asked Horus drowsily, barely waking up.

He slowly sat up with the help of his mother and promptly found himself in a tight hug.

\- Oh my brave son! – cried Isis. – I am so relieved you have not been harmed badly.

\- I'm fine, mother, don't worry – Horus smiled slightly, returning the hug as much as his aching body allowed it.

When they let go, the falcon god continued:

\- I mean… not that I'm worried for that bastard or anything but… we need him. Unfortunately.

\- Hard to say – grimaced Atum, looking down at the chaos god. – These injuries… I have not seen anything like this before, it is hard to tell what the effects of it will be. However, I would say that considering Seth's extraordinary willpower and endurance and the fact that he had survived so far… I do believe he will make it.

\- Great – mumbled Horus, honestly not knowing whether he meant it or was just sarcastic. Probably both, really…

oooOOOooo

A week passed and it seemed nothing had changed. The cleaning of the city was snail-paced, people were still battling with the shock from the disaster. Cleo and Gramps managed to temporarily patch up the holes on the walls of her home. Her mother was still stuck in Los Angeles, pretty much every form of traffic was completely paralyzed in the USA, and it was a safe bet that the rest of the world was in no better shape either. The museum was completely destroyed, consumed by the green fire. This of course only deepened the desperation Dr. Horace Bedhety found himself in. Tutenstein went to live with Cleo for the time being, his sarcophagus was badly damaged.

In the Underworld, the City was like the mirror image of Nashville. It was trashed almost beyond recognition, and what's even worse, the parts that were once standing on lower stalagmites were completely and utterly gone. In its rapid ascension the Nun covered and vaporized them, since everything its water touches would turn into nothing. Countless smaller temples, and even the Hall of Two Truths (the usual seat for Thoth and Anubis to debate subjects and generally keep an eye on the troublesome pharaoh) were lost. The outer walls were smashed in at certain points, the gates damaged, the buildings collapsed wholly or partially because of the cracks and the projectiles of the mage demons.

The gods' recovery yielded a bit more results, at least. Imhotep worked overtime with the help of Atum to tend all the injuries. Once Thoth finally woke up and managed to make some order in his head, he joined the healing. Regrowing lost parts of the body was a taxing task, but eventually the waiting hall of Imhotep's temple finally became devoid of patients. Everyone was nursed back to full or almost full health.

All but two.

Both Anubis and Seth were trapped in a coma-like state, far worse than what Thoth had been in. They reacted to nothing and showed no sign of waking up any time soon. However, both were stable so at least the gods didn't have to worry about their survival. Nephthys spent hours by their sides, she walked between Anubis' temple and Seth's cell (it was inside the Hall of Judgement, where the powers of Order were the strongest) when she wasn't busy dealing with the rest of the gods. Although her abrupt return brought joy to the pantheon, it also raised a lot of questions and confusion. Where was she? Why didn't she return after Seth's defeat by Horus' hands? Did she Sleep as well? No?! Why? What did she do during those centuries?

Horus, once he could walk, supplied some of the answers. He openly admitted his secret sheer hatred-driven decision, a mistake he had come to despise and in front of everyone, in his own throne room he humbly asked for Nephthys' forgiveness and offered her a place among the gods once more. The water goddess was very nervous during the whole ceremony, partly because of her somewhat withdrawn nature, but mostly because she had time to forgive the young falcon god (who had truly matured much during these eons, she noted with pride), it came naturally to her to think of him without venom. But now he had done all this and publicly begged for her leniency. With some stammering, she agreed and accepted the offer, much to the joy of the pantheon and to the great relief of Horus.

One less problem to worry about. Plenty left.

oooOOOooo

\- This cannot go on – announced Horus during the Grand Meeting, the first one since the end of the crisis.

Anubis and Seth still haven't woken up yet, but it could no longer wait. The rest of the pantheon (Atum included) had to come together for an important decision into the rebuilt Assembly Room.

\- I agree – said Osiris. – Our sudden appearance among mortals only served their confusion and fear.

\- The very foundation of their beliefs were shaken – added Isis. – I regret to face it, as much as anyone else… but our time is over in the world. People no longer believe in us like they used to. They moved on.

\- These past eons their view of the Universe changed much – confirmed Thoth. – An incredible amount, to be honest. They know about things even I had a bit of a hard time processing. Some of them no longer even believe in a higher power guiding them.

\- Whatever their creed is, it no longer includes us – Horus concluded sourly. – We have to face it. Look at them! Weeks have passed and they are still shocked over what happened. They cannot comprehend it.

\- You suggest that we… erase our traces? – asked Bastet, ears moving a little in confusion.

\- It's the best solution I could come up with during these weeks – Horus nodded grimly. – I'm open for ideas but honestly… I don't see many choices here.

\- Might be the only choice – sighed Atum. – What you all said is true: the mortals are no longer prepared for us, and the shock our world has caused them is not going to fade away easily… unless forcibly removed.

\- Thoth? – Horus glanced at the ibis god. – I know you are still aren't fully healed, but is it possible?

\- Writing a memory erasing spell is easy – Thoth waved away the worry. – It shall not be taxing at all. With the right wording, and the combined power of as many gods as possible, it can be spread between the mortals, doing them no harm other than removing this disaster from their minds. That can be done.

-… Then there is only one question remains – Horus leaned back on his throne, closed his eyes and placed his fingertips together. – What about Cleo Carter and her family?


	40. Fork

**In which decisions must be made.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Fork_**

A month after the demon invasion the rebuilding of the city finally yielded some results, even if not very impressing ones: most roads and smaller houses were mostly put back together, reducing somewhat the number of the make-shift shelters covering the grounds of the public parks.

Cleo's family were among the lucky ones. Since their house stood on a relatively small street, the only real damage it sustained was the hole in the front wall created by Ammut. Ordering a masonry work for it was the least of the girl's worries, she came to realize once news about the exact nature of casualties started to spread and her mother finally could come back home.

Apparently, despite the gods' best efforts, the horrible event was not contained to Nashville alone. A few demons were spotted in other parts of the world as well, causing havoc until the final roar of Isfet (Cleo knew she would **never** forget that terrifying sound. Ever.). Camera footage, mostly blurry and chaotic, regarding Nashville's siege had also escaped its borders and spread like wildfire on the Internet. Confusion and incredible size of panic slowly began to expand across all countries, humanity itself faced a total mental breakdown, it seemed. Some screamed "aliens!", others were convinced that the Apocalypse described in the Bible and other holy texts had finally started. There were people who had survived Nashville, witnessed the Egyptian gods at large, and then set out to tell the unbelievable tale. It ended in a new, chaotic religion on the brink of birth, riots against other churches, and even more panic about aliens, of course. Ra had told her that Order was returning… yet, upon looking at the world, Cleo couldn't really believe it.

Her mother, Iris saw the vids, heard the stories too. Los Angeles mostly had to battle with the ocean, monsters stayed away from there. She basically exploded into the living room upon arriving, hugging Cleo and her father close, crying for half an hour, sobbing thankful prayers, despite never being much of a believer before.

\- I thought I've lost you both! – she wailed. – I thought… just like Davis—I almost lost you too!

Cleo held her mother tight, not even trying to fight back the tears. Invoking her father's name in the family always resulted in crying, this time it only tore the dam wider. Davis Carter's disappearance had been a huge loss, it made Iris terrified of a similar fate falling to her daughter. When Cleo was small and she began showing her passion for Ancient Egypt, Iris was scared and worried and tried to prohibit her from the subject in a failed attempt to protect her. But no matter what Iris did, Cleo still went after her heart, and soon the mother had to realize there was nothing she could do… except stop making it even more difficult. This wise decision was what spared their relationship from total destruction in the end.

Tutenstein had been another problem entirely. The museum was mostly gone, the Egyptian Hall was literally leveled to the ground by the zealous demons pouring out of the (now once more invisible) Gate, nothing survived in there. Returning to his sarcophagus was out of the question. First, he stayed at Cleo's house, until her mother had arrived. Iris had only seen him once before and Cleo could cover him up with a story about him being a very dedicated actor at her school. But now, after those vids about monsters and strange lights and whatnot, Iris would have probably flipped out at his sight. So he and Luxor retreated into the remnants of the museum, mostly to some fairly untouched storage rooms, and Cleo visited them as often as possible.

She also had to battle with the fact that not everyone survived. Although most of her acquaintances did live through the terror, some of her teachers and classmates were not so lucky. As days passed, more and more MIA people were identified as dead, Seth's rampage and the collapsing buildings claiming the most lives. Cleo had to cope with the physical pain from her injuries and slowly healing nose and had to somehow not turn into an emotional wreck upon learning just how many of the other students at her school actually died.

It was tough, and she only managed to do so because her family was around her and was still intact, and her closest friends did survive with only minor injuries if any.

So, among this total chaos, Cleo was very surprised when one day the toilet flushed by itself when she was inside the bathroom checking her nose, and the soaked Bes emerged from it.

\- Cleo! – the dwarf god greeted her warmly while climbing out of the toilet pan.

\- Bes, what are you doing here? – the girl turned to him. – How are things in the Underworld?

\- On the road to full recovery – Bes smiled, before frowning a bit. – Well, except Anubis and Seth. They've been in a coma for a while now…

\- Thoth and Imhotep can't wake them up? – Cleo sighed.

\- No, apparently not – Bes shook his head. – But it is not why I am here. I was sent by the Council to bring you and your grandfather before them.

\- W—why? – Cleo's eyes grew wide at this.

\- Cleo, honey, are you in there? – her mother called out beyond the door.

Bes froze then frantically looked around for a place to hide.

\- Uh, yes, mum! – Cleo shouted back, thinking fast. – Don't come in, I'm not dressed fully!

\- I just wanted to tell you that I need to go to the city hall for a while. The mayor summoned all available architects.

\- All right, don't worry about us, we'll be fine – Cleo nodded to the door. – Bye mum!

Then she turned back to the little god.

\- Okay, can we wait for a bit until she leaves?

\- Of course – the dwarf nodded.

-… But… we won't have to go down… there. Right? – Cleo uneasily glanced at the toilet.

\- No – Bes smiled widely again. – Don't worry, I always use normal portals when I need to transport actual people.

Cleo let out a sigh of relief.

oooOOOooo

Compared to the last time she saw it, the City was in an **abysmal** shape. Most temples were partly collapsed, the outer walls still smashed in some parts, the lower parts completely missing. Still, hearing Bes' description about the repairs and plans of possible expansion (the places lost the Nun had to be recreated afterall), Cleo realized the current situation was like Perfection itself compared to the original damages.

Despite all of it, Gramps was completely blown away by the place.

\- This… This—this is amazing! – he breathed, not daring to talk louder. – All this… under our feet? This is where those gods live?

\- Yes, it's been our home ever since we retreated from the Overworld all those eons ago – Bes happily explained. – Sometimes we added larger-smaller temples when necessary but mostly it's been unchanged until… well, now.

\- The monsters attacked you as well? – Gramps looked down at him after spotting a bunch of really long lines edged in one of the stone walls that suspiciously looked like claw marks.

\- Aye, the goddesses and Horus stayed behind to defend – Bes nodded. – They said it was a brutal fight but they have managed to completely crush the sieging forces – he finished with pride.

\- Girl power – Gramps grinned at this.

\- Definitely – Cleo smiled as well.

Bes led them in front of the Assembly Room. There, Tutenstein and Luxor waited for them by the side of Bastet.

\- Why were we all summoned? – Cleo looked at the goddess in confusion.

\- All will be explained soon – the cat goddess smiled warmly at them. – But fear not! It is nothing sort of unpleasant.

\- That's a relief – Tutenstein mumbled.

He had had his fair share of godly judgements and none of them could be called joyous.

Entering the hall, Gramps gasped at the sheer number and size of the columns that supported the ceiling. In the middle of the room a wide empty space was left out for all the thrones to be placed in a semicircle. Bes escorted them to the middle and bowed before Horus who was sitting directly before them. All seats were occupied except for one that had a small jackal statue at its base. Cleo bit her lower lip in worry, hoping that Anubis would recover soon.

Gramps stared at the gods one by one.

\- I remember you guys! – he exclaimed happily. – I saw most of you on the wall paintings in Egypt.

\- Wish you could have seen the ones that did not survive – sighed Ma'at in a dreamy face. – So many beautiful paintings!

She quickly collected herself though when Horus glanced in her direction. Cleo understood formality had to be kept up so she bowed, mimicking Tut who was in the pose for a while now.

\- Tut-Ankh-En-Set-Amun and Cleo Carter – Horus slightly nodded at them to which they rose.

\- Hail the Gods of Egypt! – the pharaoh raised the Scepter high above his head.

\- We have summoned you for an important decision – the falcon god announced. – Your deeds in the past crisis has not gone unnoticed. Many of us can state your brave actions.

\- Including the well-needed aid against Venemo and Nahaher – added Ra from his golden throne.

He looked stern as ever, but for a second Cleo could have sworn she saw the faintest of smiles on his beak. Maybe her eyes played tricks on her.

\- Y—yeah… I… I just couldn't stand by and do nothing – she stammered, turning red.

\- Your valiant stand had also helped me and Bastet survive – Thoth smiled warmly at her. – Not to mention, I was able to defeat the Shadow Gobbler thanks to your grandfather…

\- Joseph Champoly – Gramps bowed as much as he could. – Just doing my job, helping out friends.

\- We are in your debt – Ma'at stated.

Learning about the near-death of her husband during the battle was not easy for her to bear.

\- You have earned our respect – Horus took back the lead. – Therefore, we have decided to give you the right to decide in a certain matter.

\- What matter, Lord Horus? – Tutenstein asked carefully.

\- Well, it concerns Cleo more but we wanted you to be here too, pharaoh – admitted Bes.

\- In the past days we have reached a decision regarding the Overworld – Horus explained. – Our sudden appearance spread fear and chaos among the humans. We understand that our cult had ended a long time ago, the mortals have moved on.

\- Yes it's… a bit of a mess up there now – Cleo mumbled.

\- I cannot say I am surprised by that – Isis sighed.

She was among the few gods whose cult survived the longest, reaching up till the end of the Roman Empire. However, it had been so different from the original and it only regarded her as a god worth worshipping, therefore it was not enough to keep the entire pantheon awake, thus the Sleep was undisturbed by it.

\- We have ruled that we need to make this right as much as possible – Horus said. – Therefore… we shall erase the memories about the siege of Nashville from the Overworld.

\- What?! – Cleo exclaimed before covering her mouth. – I'm—I'm sorry, but… you can really do that?

\- The spell is ready – Thoth slightly lifted a rolled-up papyrus scroll from his lap. – It shall remove any images containing magic, us or demons from the minds of mortals and from their devices. In return it will also plant vague allusions of various natural disasters, to explain the… devastation.

\- We cannot restore the world to its former state – explained Ra. – Nor can we… give back the lives lost – he added somewhat softer. – This spell is all we can offer, to make amends and give some peace.

\- I… I don't understand – Cleo glanced at her grandfather who shrugged. – What is my decision in all of this?

Horus leaned back on his throne and took a deep breath.

\- We have thought long and hard about your situation, Cleo Carter – he began. – Originally, it had been your actions that allowed Tut-Ankh-En-Set-Amun to awaken, thus our Sleep has ended. Since that fateful day you have been doing a truly invaluable service for us.

\- Uhm… I—I did? – the girl blinked, utterly confused.

Horus actually chuckled for a bit before turning to Thoth:

\- Would you do the honors? – he gestured at him.

The ibis god conjured up another, thicker scroll and unfolded it.

\- You are a faithful friend, teacher and protector of the pharaoh – he began reading it. – You have helped stop Ammut from taking an innocent life and banished her back to where she belongs. You have faced ghosts and demons, risked your own life for others. Your knowledge about our myths is truly impressive, it had won many battles for the pharaoh. You have stood up to the gods themselves numerous times bravely but never disrespectfully, to protect your home or your friends close to you. By your tireless dedication, Tut-Ankh-En-Set-Amun is maturing into a true leader, one who may have many glories in the days to come.

Tut casted his eyes to the floor, while Cleo felt her blush return with reinforcements.

\- And finally… among many things, the Scepter of Was has also accepted you as a ruler, lent its full power to you when you needed to rescue the pharaoh from Seth's clutches.

\- Uhm… I just—I really just… grabbed it and it did stuff on its own – Cleo timidly chimed in.

\- The Scepter of Was does not allow unworthy people to control it – Tut said. – You know this, Cleo. The fact that you could use it that impressively is a great sign.

\- But… I failed to open up a portal with it many times and even had trouble hitting Hemhety with the lasers – Cleo argued. – You know… the big tower of meat with purple skin, basically **impossible** to miss?!

\- Oh, but all techniques need practice, do they not? – Horus smirked. – Your inexperience had caused troubles that day, but the Scepter was not hindering you in any way. This and the other numerous occasions when you could easily and perfectly cast a spell, reveal that your bloodline is strong and pure. Your future holds great things for you, Cleo Carter.

\- I… – the girl tried once more.

\- And I am truly proud that I have her as my granddaughter – Joseph said suddenly with a joyful expression. – Davis had been a great man and she is just like him.

Cleo bit her lower lip again.

\- There is no arguing that you have earned the right to decide your fate – Horus said, his smile slowly disappearing. – It is only the right thing to do.

\- Cleo Carter, we offer you a chance at a normal life once more – Osiris announced, holding up his hand like he was waving.

This took the girl by surprise and she looked up at the gods.

\- Excuse me? – she blinked.

\- We shall cast this spell Thoth has created tonight and all who are in the Overworld shall be affected by it – Osiris explained. – Thus, the decision falls to you: do you wish to have your old life back? Without magic, gods and monsters? Without the unspeakable dangers and horrors you have faced so far?

Cleo was speechless. She blankly looked at Tut who kept his eyes on the floor.

\- It's your decision, Cleo – he offered meekly. – I shall abide by it.

\- I… - Cleo stammered before shaking her head. – Didn't you say this spell only removes the siege of Nashville from our memories?

\- It removes all pictures regarding us – Thoth corrected her. – In the case of most mortals, that means the disaster only, yes. But in your case, it is a much larger period of time. Up to the moment you have awakened the pharaoh, in fact. Then it would fill your mind with blurry images of normal or slightly strange events to fill in that void.

-… And what will happen to Tut? – Cleo asked, still shell-shocked by the offer.

\- He shall be moved here, into the City – Horus said. – We will watch over him until his time comes to return to the Field of Reeds… and the Sleep to come once more. That is the least we can offer, after your dedication. As for the faithful servant Luxor – here he looked at the cat sitting behind Tut's legs. – He too can decide whether he wish to be with the pharaoh until the Sleep comes again. Or he may choose otherwise. Since his gift of speech is our doing, the spell shall remove that as well. He will be a normal housecat once more.

Cleo couldn't talk, she just couldn't force out a single sound. Her mind went completely blank, as if a flashbang blew up in it.

\- Joseph Champoly, this offer stands for you as well – Horus looked at the old man. – Your services may not be as numerous as your grandchild's, however you still helped us and even protected our Scribe and Advisor from certain doom. That is an admirable deed, and we do not wish for it to go unnoticed.

Gramps glanced at the floor briefly then inhaled deeply and looked straight into the eyes of the falcon god through his thick glasses.

\- I wish to keep my memories – he said.

\- Gramps? – Cleo snapped her head in his direction at this. – You sure?!

\- Of course – the old man nodded firmly. – I don't have much time left, but I've lived a life I am happy with. I want to remember it in the fullest, purest form. Fighting monsters was a weird part, I admit, but it was still a part of it. I don't wanna lose that… besides, if I agreed to have my memory altered… – he suddenly turned to Nephthys near the end of the semicircle –, then I wouldn't remember Nicole – he finished with a soft smile.

Of course he knew.

The goddess held her tears back and returned the smile.

\- You have been a great friend for all these years, Joseph – she said softly. – I'm truly sorry I had to lie to you so much…

\- It is already forgiven – Gramps laughed and turned back to Horus. – Nicole had been an amazing friend of mine, some of the best moments of my life were spent with her. I don't want those gone.

\- This is your final decision? – Horus asked.

\- Yes, it is – Joseph nodded once more.

\- So shall it be – the falcon god smiled.

He liked this man. Truly, Cleo's family was something else… Maybe even pharaoh material. She **did** resemble Cleopatra a bit, come to think of it.

\- And you, Cleo Carter? – Thoth asked. – What is your decision?

\- I—I don't know – the girl stammered, looking hopelessly at the floor.

She wasn't ready for this. Damnit, she just wasn't ready!

Thoth waited for a few moments, before slightly turning to Horus.

 _I thought she would choose normal life without hesitation_ , he admitted telepathically.

 _Me too, but honestly? After all this, I'm not surprised by this in the slightest_ , Horus glanced back at him for a second. _She is something else. This decision may not be so straightforward in her case._

 _You mean she might not want her old life back? That sounds strange,_ Thoth mused.

 _Cleo Carter's middle name should be "strange", you know that._

The ibis god thought about all the times he witnessed Cleo in action. The first notable case was when she literally burst into the Hall of Two Truths and risked the wrath of both Thoth and Anubis just to get the pharaoh (who had been a real pain to her) out of trouble. From that day on, Thoth kept a more watchful eye on the mortal girl and he was truly impressed by her. Sure, she had her own shortcomings, sometimes her patience snapped a bit too soon, but her improvising skills, not to mention sheer knowledge of the myths appealed to the God of Wisdom very much.

Horus was right: calling Cleo "strange" was like calling the sky blue. Why would this case be any different? Thoth suddenly pitied the girl. It might have been a bit too sudden of an offer.

And sudden, it was. Cleo felt like someone just pulled the whole ground out from under her feet with a swift motion. How was she supposed to decide?! She forced her blank, but somehow completely chaotic mind to slow down and start seizing up each option.

Option A: she chooses to remember, then she will have to spend the night together with her grandfather, Luxor and Tut in the City, waiting for the spell to settle in. After that, she would lead the type of life she grew used to during this year: putting up with the childish and hard-headed Tutenstein, making sure he was well-hidden from public eye, running from and/or after monsters, demons, ba-eating ghosts or just a bit too trigger-happy gods. At least Seth was out of the question… for a while. She would still have Luxor as a talking cat, would have to share him with the pharaoh and she probably wouldn't be able to spend much time with her friends.

But… she would still be with her good friend, she would remember the gods, all the amazing miracles she had witnessed so far. She would remember Anubis, lost and confused, sad, barely daring to hope that his situation would work out, such a stranger to the modern world. She would remember Bes with his goofy grin, always ready to help even if his "help" sometimes caused more trouble. Or Thoth, or Horus, or Hathor, or… everybody.

Option B: she chooses to forget everything and go back to her old life. She wouldn't know there are gods, or monsters or magic, all the myths she ever heard would remain what she always thought they were: stories. Fairy tales. Luxor would revert back into the former, lazy but friendly housecat he had been. She would forget about every terrible moment when she had to look deep into the eyes of the God of Chaos or dodge his laser beams.

She would go back to spend her days with her friends at school, she would never again be chased by all sorts of monsters. She wouldn't be turned into a cat or other animal ever again (gods, that body-switching with Luxor had been just _terrible_ ), she wouldn't cast a spell, read magic scrolls, fear for her shadow to be swallowed by a dog demon. She would never know what power laid under her feet, neither what impossible things she once achieved or bore witness to.

She would be normal, usual again.

…

Or would she?

Cleo frowned. The Gate… it would still be open. The gods couldn't close it, not until Tutenstein was once again completely dead, it seemed, otherwise they would have done it a long time ago. And although the portal was invisible, it could still be a freeway for demons to come up to the Overworld and cause havoc. Knowing her talent of running into trouble with a higher success-rate than most other kids, she suspected she would meet them again. What would she do then? Would she be able to apprehend the situation? Or even **survive**? Wouldn't Hemhety or any other horrible monster kill her because of her inexperience?

It wasn't sure. Maybe the gods would come up with a plan to completely isolate the Gate and make sure no smaller portals open anywhere. Or maybe not…

Nothing was for certain.

Cleo wanted to pull her hair out in frustration. How is she supposed to choose?! Unsure normality that held the possibility of mortal danger under the surface if she was unlucky, or unusual and dangerous life yet with the ability to cope with it? The real world or magic and miracles? Normal friends or weird friends?

Just when Horus was about to utter an apology for the sudden offer, Cleo took a loud and sharp breath, tilted her head up while holding it, then announced her decision, eyes shut tight and fists clenched from determination.


	41. Turns

**In which our favorite jackal god finally comes to, and the Overworld begins to get its shit together.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Turns_**

 _I shall be a father? Why—Neph, these are gorgeous news!_

 _…_

 _Will it be a boy? A girl? … Not that it really matters. Each would be a truly joyous gift!_

 _…_

 _Am I really prepared for it? Will I be able to provide for our child? Do I even deserve this?_

 _…_

 _Neph… I—I did not mean those words, I swear! Please, I love you, I promise I will try to control myself!_

 _…_

 _I am just… I am scared of this. I do not even know: will I be a good father?_

 _…_

 _I am—I am so sorry… No! Please, look at me, I just want to—I want to apologize, please!_

 _…_

 _SHUT UP, YOU WITCH! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO MEDDLE INTO MY PERSONAL LIFE! I HATE YOU, ISIS!_

 _…_

 _Goddamnit, Osiris, why do you have to bother me with this?! Can you not just leave me in peace? Go back to your wife and "entertain" her!_

 _…_

 _Oh, by Atum, no—no—nononono! What have I done?!_

 _…_

 _She is gone. Where is she? Will she be safe? At least, she is safe from me._

 _…_

 _Anubis? A fine, strong name… Wish I could say I gave it to him._

 _…_

 _Please, Isis! Damnit, I am begging you here! Let me see my son just once, for a few minutes!_

 _…_

 _Please, I just want to hold him in my arms once!_

 _…_

 _Please!_

 _…_

 _Please._

 _…_

 _Please…_

 _…_

oooOOOooo

Nephthys almost screamed when Anubis gasped loudly and threw himself out of bed next to her. He tried to sit up but ended up tangled in his blankets and nearly fell to the floor. The water goddess quickly steadied him, though, and managed to push him back onto the furniture.

\- Anubis? – she asked softly, holding one of his hands.

The jackal god stared forward, breathing loudly, ears moving around restlessly.

\- I… I – he stammered, before shaking his head. – I don't know, I—

\- Hey, it's alright, my dear – Nephthys shushed him, cradling his head up to her chest. – It is all over now.

Anubis grabbed her arms strongly, holding onto them like it was his lifeline. His breaths grew steadier and soon he too leaned into the hug.

\- Hi, mum – he sighed finally. – I'm glad you are alright.

Nephthys couldn't help the chuckle that escaped from her at this.

\- And I'm glad that you have woken up – she planted a kiss on his forehead.

A jolt ran through Anubis at this, he realized that this was the first time he had ever been held like this by his real mother. It was a comforting feeling, one that helped him ground his jumbled thoughts and hazed memories.

He remembered everything that had happened: his pain and oppression by Seth, being freed from it by Horus and Nephthys, the city overrun by demons, Cleo, her grandfather, the pharaoh, the talking cat, the huge and desperate final struggle in the Grand Canyon, but also… other things, that didn't feel like they belonged to him. Voices, flashes of pictures that quickly slipped away from his mind, no matter how hard he had tried to grab them. In a few minutes, they were all gone, except for one final, heartbreakingly weak pleading:

 _Please…_

Anubis shook his head again. He couldn't tell where this memory came from, nor to whom it belonged in the first place. But it seemed to stay with him now. Instead he refocused his attention on his mother who was still holding him in her arms.

\- How long have I been out? – he asked, slowly pulling away.

\- Weeks… we were worried sick – Nephthys sighed. – You didn't show signs of waking up not once, not even when your injuries finally healed and—

Anubis' ears shot up when something suddenly sounded the alarm in his still confused brain: he could not feel his right arm. He snapped his head down, staring wide-eyed at his torso.

The limb was still there, attached to his shoulder like it should be.

This alone made him let out a relieved sigh, not even bothering with the thick bandages that covered its every inch. Nephthys smiled at him half-heartedly.

\- Why can't I feel my—Oh… Isfet, right? – Anubis asked crestfallen.

\- You used that arm to control it and in return it damaged it severely once it was defeated – Nephthys nodded solemnly. – Thoth says it may get better with time… but it would never fully heal.

-… I see – Anubis looked at his arm again. – Well… if this was the price for saving the world, then I got an easy deal.

\- Could have been a whole lot worse – Nephthys agreed. – Like… like in Seth's case.

\- How is he?

\- Bad, but stable. It wasn't just his arm that got mauled by Chaos – the goddess sighed. – He is also blind now.

Anubis' ears shot up in surprise.

\- Blind? – he echoed.

\- Completely. He can't even sense the change in lighting.

Anubis stared forward for a second before frowning.

\- Serves him right – he growled.

Nephthys remained silent, pursing her lips and resting her hands on her lap.

-… You _pity_ him? – Anubis stared at her.

\- What he had done is horrible and repulsive – the goddess said softly. – There is no denying his sins and atrocities. But… I know fully well how much pain he had to go through his life, every day. I simply can't turn a blind eye on this, no matter what.

Anubis wanted to point out how wrong she was, he wanted to shout that Seth deserves no pity for all the pain he had caused—

Pain…

The jackal god paused. He remembered the suffering he himself had to go through during the battle, trying to force Chaos to do his bidding. He remembered the grudging respect he had felt towards Seth for his achievements in his life, no matter how terrible they had been. And he remembered…

\- He helped me – Anubis said in utter disbelief.

Nephthys looked at her son quizzically.

\- Seth, he… – the jackal god shook his head, – when I tried to open up a hole on his shield, so Horus could strike him, I… I met him, and—it's hard to explain.

\- You talked? – the goddess asked.

\- Yes – Anubis nodded with certainty. – He was apathetic, he literally gave up the fight… it was Isfet that was controlling his body at that point. He said he had no reason to carry on anymore.

\- And you tricked him into helping you?

\- No… that's just it. I didn't. I called him a coward for giving up, I told him how much better existence is then total destruction, I told him that I would do anything to save the world – Anubis admitted. – Then he… he weakened the shield for me so I could disrupt it.

Nephthys remained silent. When the jackal god looked at her, he saw tears filling her eyes.

\- I should have never left him – she sniffled softly, rubbing her eyes. – None of this would have happened if I had been just a bit more persistent…

\- Mother, it is not your fault – Anubis leaned forward, holding her hand in his. – It was ultimately his decision to take this road.

\- I do not know if I can truly believe that – Nephthys looked at him solemnly. – But… it's not like I can change the past now.

\- None of us can.

\- Still… this… that he ultimately **helped** us win the fight… I don't know what to say to this – the goddess sniffled again.

\- Neither do I – Anubis agreed reluctantly.

He truly didn't know what to think anymore. His anger was struggling with his confusion and… general respect and maybe even a bit of understanding. He hated Seth… but he knew that if he ignored the last deed of his father, he would be no better than Horus in his early years of reign: allowing grief and anger to cloud his judgement at every turn.

 _Why would I pity Seth?_ an inner voice hissed menacingly in his head.

 _I do not pity him… I understand him a bit better_ , Anubis said to himself.

-… Has Horus decided his fate yet? – he asked worriedly.

\- Not yet. We do not know what to make of this new situation – Nephthys answered.

Anubis moved to get out of the bed.

\- He needs to hear this – he stated. – He needs to know fully what Seth has done.

Nephthys nodded and helped him up.

oooOOOooo

\- There will be a **lot** of work for me – Iris announced solemnly when she stepped inside her home.

Cleo couldn't really say she was surprised by it. The fact that the major summoned every architect available could have only meant that here would be a lot of planning, rebuilding and improving of the city. It was also clear that this night was probably the last peaceful one for her mother for a long long time.

\- I can stay here more, sweetie – offered Gramps cheerfully. – To help out around the house with Cleo.

\- That would be great, thank you, dad – Iris smiled tiredly at him before hauling up her thick dossier and bag to her bedroom.

Bes' visit in the morning thankfully went unnoticed by her and Cleo wanted to keep it that way. She busied herself for the rest of the day: made sure that the tapestry covering up the hole in the wall was still fully in place; walked around the block and offered water for the construction workers; had a long phone call with Natasha and tried to persuade the girl not to join that weird cult that was forming; and checking on Tut and Luxor safely settled inside the ruins of the museum.

\- You guys are alright in here? – she asked as she carefully maneuvered around a collapsed and burnt piece of the roof on the floor.

\- I miss my former royal quarters, my sarcophagus, my tomb and my pyramid – Tutenstein sighed dramatically. – But overall… yes, I'd say we shall live.

\- A lot more could have been lost that day, sire – Luxor pointed out from across the room, digging for some remaining relics or other.

Cleo looked around. The remnants of the Egyptian Hall was a depressive sight to see. The walls were mostly gone, the tomb was just a heap of rubble and the sarcophagus was smashed into a billion pieces, impossible to reconstruct. The four scarabs holding the sun disk was the only thing that seemed intact, and only because the Gate had been located there.

 _Still is_ , Cleo reminded herself uneasily, looking at the yellow disk tile.

The Gate was still open, even if right now in a dormant, invisible state.

She decided to help her friends look for things that might have survived the onslaught of demons. They pulled away rubble, recovered fragments of statues and symbols, burnt pieces of papyrus. The tomb had been far too challenging, they couldn't dig their way into its inner chamber. Cleo bitterly recalled all the beautiful wall paintings that could have been found there, now gone beyond helping. They also found terrible claw marks edged into the floor and walls, burn marks that were probably caused by fireballs, statues of the gods that had been beheaded by swords and axes. Anubis' jackal figurine, which once proudly and ever-so-vigilantly looked over the pharaoh's sarcophagus, had been slashed to pieces, yet Cleo could discover hieroglyphs etched roughly and hastily into its stone. She couldn't really read them, but in one she recognized the Sha, the sacred animal of Seth. Maybe the demons made fun of the jackal god and called him the spawn of Seth or something, Cleo didn't really wish to know, to be frank.

She also forced herself not to think about what had happened to those poor people on the streets when all these horrible claws, fireballs, swords and axes had found them…

\- Hey, remember the time when I broke the Ankh and started aging super-fast? – called out Tutenstein from the other end of the room, holding up a fragment of said artifact. – That was quite an adventure, right?

\- A bit too much of an adventure. Climbing that mountain was no easy task – Cleo frowned at him at the memory.

\- But you stood before the full might of Atum, the God of Life himself – Tut pointed out cheerfully. – Oh hey! It's the statue of Thoth.

\- Oh, that time with his Book… you made Walter super smart, and in the end we had to save him from Thoth himself – Cleo sighed. – Good times.

\- Ah… Cat Paradise – Luxor remembered dreamily at the sight of a broken-in-half statue of Bastet. – It was a good place… though not as good as down here on Earth.

\- Or remember the time when we had to sail the Boat of Millions of Years through the Gates of the River of Night?

Despite the miserable state of the museum, many good memories surfaced during their search. Adventures that no other living being could claim to have experienced in history. Going to places no mortal had seen before. Facing incredible odds and finding the strangest of allies and friends.

When they ended the search, the three of them gathered around, staring awkwardly at each other. Silence enveloped them.

\- Well… tomorrow is a new day – Tut offered half-heartedly.

\- Yeah… – Cleo agreed uncertainly. – Thanks to Ra.

Pause.

\- Well… good night, Tut – she placed her hand on his shoulder, having no better idea of what to do.

Tut lunged forward, hugging her close.

\- Good night – he mumbled into her shirt.

Cleo returned the hug, before letting go.

\- I'll stay with the pharaoh for now – Luxor said. – Make sure he… he stays hidden, you know.

Cleo nodded and slowly left, feeling incredibly heavy as she walked out of the Egyptian Hall.

On her way home, she let her eyes wander: the characteristic silhouette of the city was mostly gone, many of the skyscrapers where destroyed. The wrecks of cars and other vehicles were hauled away, but the roads remained cracked, pulverized. She passed by a house that was literally reduced to a big heap of rubble. Broken windows, blown-up walls, incinerated vegetation, makeshift tents on the streets, plazas and parks… this place was a war zone.

Yet, there was life here. Workers and architects, engineers and volunteers buzzled everywhere, the civilians were helping cleaning up, the police and firefighters made sure no one would go too close to unstable buildings. Cleo saw a smaller crowd gathered around a nurse who was busy explaining the basics of CPR on a practice dummy. A few kids offered water to tired search dogs and officers. Grown men helped pushing aside a huge chunk of concrete from the street so that the firetruck could pass.

All was not lost.

Cleo smiled a little. These people had no idea just how much easier their lives shall become after tonight. Next to all these catastrophes, at least nobody will have to deal with the knowledge of gods and demons anymore. It would help a great deal, she knew. Right now, most things inside and outside the city were paralyzed by this horrible notion.

Cleo arrived home, tired from hauling debris all day long. She made sure that the tapestry was in place, checked on Gramps, who was busy creating some simple dinner, and her mother, who was making calls almost non-stop, organizing meetings and agreements with her fellow architects and engineers.

 _We will get through this_ , Cleo said to herself as she retreated into the bathroom to refresh herself with a shower.

At the dinner table, mostly Iris talked about all the things they had to do. She was placed in a team that was to deal with this district of the city and already they were busy seizing up the works, estimating the costs and the time they would take.

\- Oh yes, I **definitely** need to stay here and help out – Gramps nodded thoughtfully.

Iris laughed nervously at this, thanking him again.

After finishing up, Cleo went to her bedroom and lied down on her bed, dimly hearing that everyone else doing the same thing in the house. Luxor jumped in through her open window, closed it behind himself then settled down on her blanket.

\- Tomorrow will be a better day – he offered with a small smile.

\- I hope so too – Cleo agreed softly, hearing the toilet flush in the bathroom. – A better day, indeed.

They curled up on the bed, ready to go to sleep, listening to the house growing ever so quiet. Cleo's clock ticked softly on the wall by the door.

Half an hour later, its ticking was drowned out by the careful, yet relatively loud creaking of the door hinges turning. Its out-of-place noise jolted Cleo and Luxor out of that half-asleep state they sank into. The girl sat up on her bed, yawning, rubbing her eyes as she turned to the door.

\- Cleo… it's time to go – Bes grinned at them.


	42. Meeting

**In which important and unpleasant things are discussed.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Meeting_**

Arriving through the portal, Cleo took a deep breath. Strange how fresh the air was down here at all times. She looked around, the familiar yellowish hue greeted her eyes. The gods were up and about as she, Gramps and Luxor was rushed past by Bes. Most everyone was hard at work, repairing all kinds of damages and trying to give the City back its former shine and glory.

\- Where are we going? – Cleo asked as she fidgeted with her night gown that she hastily grabbed atop her pijamas.

\- Horus wishes to welcome you personally – Bes explained cheerfully, then winked at her. – And… there is someone else who wants to see you.

\- Who, Tut?

\- He's here as well, but I meant someone else.

The main temple had been mostly untouched by the siege of demons, and the damage done by Isfet's spread was rapidly disappearing.

\- Lovely house you got there – Gramps stared as they neared it. – Did the pharaohs of old have palaces this big as well?

\- No, its size could only be achieved with magic. Simple earthly materials could not possibly function under such strains – Bes shook his head. – But they did try to mimic it as much as possible, even if on a smaller scale.

The three mortals and the dwarf god passed beautifully ornate corridors and smaller halls and entered the Assembly Room. The well-known barren simplicity greeted them, the giant hypostile chamber did not need any color or gold to be magnificent. There was a smaller commotion at the thrones: Atum, Ra, Thoth, Imhotep, Osiris, Isis, Horus and Nephthys were all there, as well as Tutenstein, and next to them, slightly facing everyone was…

\- Anubis! – Cleo exclaimed happily before hastily covering her mouth, eyes growing wide at the unintentional outburst.

The jackal god seemed troubled but the moment he turned to the girl, the frown had melted away and happy surprise took its place.

\- Cleo! – he called out, quickly shrinking to human size and opening his arms.

Cleo glanced nervously at Horus, but the falcon god merely smiled and nodded. To this she took off and ran into the hug of Anubis.

\- I'm so glad you are alright! They told me you were in a coma – she embraced him as well, carefully avoiding touching the heavily bandaged right arm.

\- And I'm happy to see that you are well – Anubis smiled. – All of you.

\- Hello, Adam – Gramps waved happily, while behind him Bes bowed deeply then retreated out of the hall.

Ra coughed loudly. Anubis's ears shot up and he let go of the girl.

\- My apologies, lord – he quickly said and returned to his normal height. – I merely thought inappropriate not to greet my good friends in a worthy manner.

The sun god merely glanced into the "youngling's" direction.

\- Cleo Carter, Vanquisher of Demons – he said in a strong voice, but his eyes flashed up almost mischievously. – Your timing is good. We were just about to discuss the fate of Seth.

\- Is he awake as well? – Cleo asked, blushing at the title bestowed upon her.

\- Yes. Surprisingly he had woken up earlier than Anubis did – Thoth mused softly. – Truly, his resilience is incredible.

\- How about we do **not** praise the god that almost brought destruction on all of us? – Isis grumbled angrily.

\- Peace, mother – Horus held up his palm in a calming gesture, his voice surprisingly well-controlled and even. – Let us hear what everyone has to say. Anubis, you said you have something important to say?

\- Yes, something very important… and probably a lot of you will not like it – the jackal god slightly nodded.

Horus raised an eyebrow but did not comment. The gods took their seats on their thrones and suddenly a group of well-ornate chairs and a cushion for Luxor also appeared for the guests.

\- Oh… we may sit? – Cleo stared at the furniture. – I thought it was impolite…

\- Usually it is – Osiris agreed sternly.

\- But you are not usual mortals and we can thank you a lot – Horus quickly added, shooting a look at his father.

\- I merely answered her question truthfully – the elder god shrugged slightly.

Once everyone was settled, Atum reached out with his long staff and drew a circle before them onto the ground. The end of it left a golden shining line on the tiles and soon a giant Disk formed, that showed nothing so far.

\- Seth… third child of Nut and Geb, God of Deserts, Storms, Foreigners, ex-God of Chaos – Ra muttered softly. – What shall we do about him?

\- I'm sorry! – Tut raised his hand quickly. – "Ex-God"?

\- Once Isfet had been defeated, it exited Seth's body in a rather violent way – Thoth explained. – As far as we can tell, he has no Chaos magic left in him.

\- And you? – Cleo looked at Anubis.

\- I wish I could say the same – the jackal god solemnly shook his head.

\- Ain't that easy to get rid of good old Iiisfet, huh? – muttered Gramps.

\- It is one of the Primordial Powers, after all – Isis sighed.

\- I refrain from the final decision – Atum suddenly announced.

Horus stared at the ram god.

\- Why, lord? – asked Osiris, baffled as well.

\- I am the God of Life. My duty and my calling is the protection of all life, even that of the gods' – Atum said. – As I had helped create the world and all the good and all the bad upon it, I do not have the right to decide what is right and what is wrong. I merely offer advice and details regarding Seth's condition.

\- I understand – Horus sighed. – Then… let us first collect every piece of information that may influence our decision.

Cleo saw Anubis fidget nervously on his throne at this, but she remained silent.

\- Well, that should be easy – Isis growled and she pointed at the Disk.

It began projecting recent events from the Battle of Nashville, in harmony with what she was saying.

\- He stole a precious spell from us – she began. – Nearly killed our Scribe and Advisor. Unleashed the powers of Isfet and the demon army on both the Overworld and the City. Destroyed most of the mortal settlement, and caused the death of thousands. Endangered the lives of the entire pantheon. Tried to kill my son, my sister and my nephew. And finally, nearly brought the End of the World.

Cleo and her friends saw the battle of the Grand Canyon for the first time. She felt herself grow a bit numb at the incredible amount of power the desert god had shown. There were some hair-raisingly narrow misses in there, blows that could have been fatal for the three gods. Horus slightly narrowed his eyes when he saw himself in falcon form getting knocked out of the air by the giant red fist.

-… It is a real miracle that you are still alive – Gramps concluded.

\- A miracle mostly achieved by Anubis – the falcon god nodded to his cousin. – If it weren't for his Chaos magic to foretell certain attacks, we would have not won.

The jackal god's ears slightly dipped at this.

\- Thank you… although the victory goes to all three of us – he said softly.

\- So what is the matter? – asked Ra. – It sounds straightforward for me: Seth needs to be sealed away for all the atrocities he had committed.

\- There is something that unfortunately makes matters more complicated – Anubis quickly chimed in, louder this time.

\- Two things, actually – Thoth and Imhotep said in unison before glancing at each other.

Silence settled over them. It was Atum who finally restarted the conversation:

\- Let us hear you first, Thoth.

The ibis god nervously ran his fingers across his hair.

\- Seth… cannot be chained – he said finally.

-… _What_? – Horus stared at him.

\- When we began our examination on him and he had still been completely unconscious, we tried to bind him with magical chains – Imhotep explained. – Just a safety measure, you understand. We did not know if he would suddenly wake up and lash out at us, after all. But as we put the chains on…

\- They fell off – Thoth finished uneasily.

\- What do you mean by "fell off"?! – Ra hissed angrily, his Crown flaring up in anger. – You **can** create a goddamn ink that can literally banish anyone and seal away their powers, but you **cannot** put on a bunch of chains on someone, you pitiful—?!

\- Ra, _enough_! – boomed Atum, glaring at his Firstborn.

The sun god returned the glare, but fell silent. Thoth twitched in his throne, head hung low. Cleo fought the urge to grimace at the scene. It was painful to watch the two firstborn gods in such a relationship.

\- What we mean is that no matter how we fastened the bounds, they simply grew loose and fell off after a mere minute – Imhotep quickly explained, trying to move the discussion past this awkward exchange, and he quickly fished out the chains from the folds of his robes. – Here, take a look. They are not faulty.

Isis quickly ran her magic through them.

\- They are completely functional – she said in disbelief. – I do not understand… these were designed to be able to hold monster and god alike.

\- You saw nothing that may have accompanied the phenomenon? – asked Horus. – A burst of magic? A twitch? _Anything_?

\- Nothing – Imhotep shook his head slowly. – We have tried for **hours**. Thoth even casted some spells as well.

\- Simple shutdown spells, paralysis, these sorts – the ibis god said in a low voice, not daring to look at Ra. – They… they evaporated as well. I simply could not maintain them, they flowed out of my control like I was grasping at water.

Another long silence followed. Cleo and Tut looked at each other, worry passing between them. Seth was suddenly _immune_ to any sort of restrain, and even Thoth, the **strongest** magician among the gods, could not do anything about it? What was going on?!

\- I assume it is bad news? – Gramps whispered to Cleo.

\- Terrible news! – answered Horus. – How did this happen? How can this even **be**?! No gods have or ever had such ability!

\- We cannot kill him because he has a place in the Universal Order, and we cannot even imprison him?! What are we supposed to do with that monster?! – Isis cried out in anguish.

At this, Anubis' hand twitched slightly and he quickly stood up from his throne:

\- Maybe it is not as bad as you may believe – he said in a firm tone, slightly angrier than he originally intended.

Every pair of eyes turn to him, to which he sat back down and tried to get a better hold of himself out of embarrassment.

\- I mean – he began carefully –, there is no denying his sins and crimes, I fully understand and support that. But I must tell you that back in Grand Canyon… we would have lost if he hadn't helped us out.

\- _Helped_ us? – Horus echoed, eyes growing wide. – Anubis, what are you—?!

\- Just hear me out, please! – the jackal god held up his hands. – Horus, you remember coming up with the idea that I should try to open up his shield somewhere, so you could strike him directly, right?

\- Of course. We have exhausted every other option at that point – the falcon god nodded grudgingly.

\- When I set out to do just that – Anubis told them –, I… it is hard to explain, but I think I've entered the very essence of Isfet. I saw its every wave and turn.

\- My wife, Ma'at can do the same with Order – Thoth added, trying to help out the young god. – Logic dictates that similar feat can be achieved with Isfet as well.

\- Go on, Anubis – Osiris nodded, acknowledging the comment.

\- So… I entered Isfet and searched for the source of the shield's magic – the jackal god went on after a short pause of uncertainty. – I found it and… I found Seth trapped inside it. I thought that perhaps he would try to stop me in some way, but he did nothing.

\- Maybe he didn't sense you there – Isis pointed out grumpily.

\- No. We talked – Anubis shook his head. – He told me to do whatever I want because he didn't care what would happen to him anymore. He said that it was Isfet at that point that was controlling his body, he was just there to maintain the shield with his powers. Even when I began to search for weak points on the source, he still would do nothing to stop me. And I… I don't know why but I tried to knock him out of this indifferent state. I called him a coward for giving up, I tried to explain to him that mere existing is already so much better than total annihilation.

\- Let me guess: he didn't listen? – Horus asked.

\- No, that's just it… I think he did – Anubis looked at him. – I couldn't find a crack on the shield so I had to choose a spot. Seth saw what I was planning to do and he **weakened** the spell there for me.

-… Are you certain? – asked Osiris.

\- Yes. Absolutely – Anubis nodded, locking eyes with his stepfather. – Even like this, Isfet nearly killed me. The last things I remember was… sheer agony and… Seth holding onto me so I wouldn't be washed away by the power.

Silence.

\- Are we sure you are not under some kind of spell of Isfet? – Isis suddenly said in a cold voice.

\- How dare you say such thing! – Nephthys shouted, springing to her feet. – My son is **not** a chaos god!

\- Mother—! – Anubis tried to calm her down but she swatted his hand away.

\- He has suffered more than all of us combined in that battle! – the goddess went on, her blue dress rippling agitatedly as if made of water. – He helped us win, despite the amount of pain it had caused him!

\- I merely take every possibility into account, _sister_ – Isis retorted. – I understand you wish to believe your son is pure, but we cannot overlook the fact that he now has connections to Isfet itself!

Anubis' ears dropped at this but he didn't say a word. Horus stared before himself, leaning on his knees with his elbows, fingers intertwined under his chin as he thought deeply.

\- Hold up! – Cleo shouted, standing up. When everyone, except Horus, turned to her, she fell much, much quieter. – I mean… Forgive me, gods and goddesses of Egypt, but… Isfet is all about anger and destruction, right? Brutality? If Anubis truly was under its thrall, which I just cannot believe, I am sorry, shouldn't he act anything **but** this calmly and collectedly?

\- Isfet is all about chaos, disorder and destruction, child – Isis narrowed her eyes at her. – It represents all that is bad. Treachery as well, be it subtle or open.

\- My son is not a traitor, Isis! – shouted Nephthys.

\- Ladies, please, calm down! – Osiris tried to get between the two goddesses.

\- Shut up, Osiris! – Nephthys cried in anger. – Anubis is a hero, and this is the treatment he gets for all that he has done?!

\- Truth is often cruel, Nephthys. Deal with it – Ra pointed out coldly.

Anubis tilted his head down, unconsciously grabbing his bandaged arm. Nephthys looked like she was about to throw herself onto either Isis or Ra and proceed to claw their eyes out with her bare hands.

\- I believe you, Anubis – Horus suddenly announced firmly, still looking at the ground before him in a pondering manner.

The argument died down and everyone stared at the king. Anubis slightly raised his head and ears, not daring to hope.

\- What? Why do you say that? – Isis demanded.

\- Mother… Trust me, I fully understand your point of view – Horus sighed deeply. – I too am battling with my anger and hatred towards Seth and everything he has ever done. But there had been many times when I made the mistake of allowing my emotions to get the better of me – he glanced at the jackal god.

Anubis returned his gaze with sadness.

\- It is long overdue that I do not repeat that same misstep. I am better than that – Horus continued, slowly straightening up on his throne. – Think about it… since our first struggles, Seth's goal has always been **domination**. He wanted to rule the land and crush his enemies, yes, but not **destroy** it.

\- That is a good point – Thoth chimed in.

\- And all of a sudden, he retains his former powers and goes on a rampage, letting loose every force of Chaos known to us. Why would he attack the Overworld, if his target was my throne? Why not just attack the City, crush us while we are still unprepared and caught off-guard? What did he gain by storming the mortal city?

-… He ensured the faster spread of Isfet, that is what – Ra said, slowly understanding the big picture.

\- Exactly – Horus nodded. – That is the only explanation for this. He didn't need the City gone by all means, because the Nun would have done it for him. That's why he merely sent an army of demons at our gates. Even in the Overworld, Seth did not attack the gods directly, until I, Anubis and Nephthys challenged him. He even allowed Thoth, Bastet and me to escape from his proximity. He was more preoccupied with destroying everything in sight, shaking the foundations of Order even more.

\- In the meantime he also divided us – Atum agreed.

\- I must say, an ingenious tactic… but one that is used for complete annihilation, not usurpation – Horus finished, leaning back on his throne, troubled.

\- Seth may have been his own master at the beginning of the fight – Anubis said in a low voice. – That, I cannot tell. However, by the time of Grand Canyon, he was merely another puppet to Isfet. That, I stand by firmly.

Isis pursed her lips but did not add anything. She was clearly upset and angry, though. Nephthys slowly eased herself back into her throne.

\- I'm sorry for that outburst – she whispered. – I… I'm tensed, I lost control of my emotions.

\- Aren't we all anxious now? – Horus sighed, massaging his forehead. – So… without Seth's assistance, you, Anubis, would not have been able to break through the shield and we would not have been able to bring him down.

\- Maybe I could have broken through… but I would have definitely died from it – the jackal god nodded.

\- Which would have knocked us back on square one, regardless of Seth's fall or not – Ra concluded. – I see now.

\- Isfet's plans were diabolically clever – Atum agreed. – The only factor it did not think about was Seth himself. It was his change of heart that eventually brought it down.

\- This is madness! – Isis hissed in sheer anger, causing the hair on the mortals' necks to stand up.

It was common knowledge that, while Isis was a goddess renowned for her wisdom, caring and persistence, she was also infamous for her temper and vengefulness. Her spite was something every Egyptian, commoner or noble, had tried their damnest to avoid.

\- Mother, as Justice and Order dictates, we must not allow our emotions to influence the sentence given – Horus looked at her, voice once more strict and unwavering, like a true pharaoh's. – If we fail at that, we fail Order itself. Do you not think I do not want to see Seth suffer for what he has done? But my wish alone does not justify it. We must be fair.

\- So… what is your decision, o pharaoh? – Ra asked, only half-mockingly saying the title.

-… Let's end this meeting – Horus sighed, shrugging off the wanna-be insult like it's nothing. – It has gone on long enough, and Anubis and our guests need rest. You, Ra, must return to your nightly journey. I also must have time to think things through.

\- When will you cast that memory-deleting magic or whatever? – asked Gramps.

\- Oh, it has been casted long ago – Thoth waved tiredly as he stood up from his throne. – When you stepped out of the portal here, in fact. It just needs to settle in.

\- Nephthys, can you show them to their rooms? – Horus turned to the goddess, who nodded.

\- And I… need to get time to move again. See you at dawn – Ra sighed deeply as he teleported away to his royal barge that stood idly in the River of Night.


	43. Decision

**In which everyone, except for Horus, finally gets a break.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Decision_**

The life of a leader was hard.

Horus sighed loudly as he slowly walked down the dimly lit corridor that opened from the Hall of Truth. He was tired, slept less than most of the other gods and usually had to pretend like he was really asleep when he lied next to Hathor, as not to disturb or worry her. The remodeling of the City was a huge task, but the main reason for his distress were the memories.

He had never gotten this close to dying and/or losing everyone he had ever loved before. _Never_. And… as much as he tried to put it out of his mind, tried to forget it, he couldn't let go of that horrible icy feeling Anubis' red linen had left in him when it had been busy consuming his soul. Even hearing the scream of Isfet was not that bad.

Horus caught himself shuddering at the memory and quickly reined himself in. Was he afraid of Anubis now? He couldn't tell. Part of him knew the jackal god would never use this power out of his own free will, yet just the knowledge that he had it…

Horus had to keep himself in check, especially now. Reaching a double-winged door at the end of the corridor, he stopped, took one last deep breath then pushed the wings in. A small room greeted him that was completely devoid of any ornaments, safe for a simple tapestry on the wall behind the bed. Part of the ceiling was missing, allowing some light in. On both sides of the hole were supporting columns, and in the left end of the room were two chairs and a smaller table, used by Thoth and Imhotep during their examinations.

\- Seth – Horus called out as he walked up to one of the columns, leaning against it.

He kept up his poker face, even though there was no need for it.

Seth twitched on the bed and sat up. He had the height of an average god now, wore white robes and heavy bandages on most of his body. White lines that resembled acid-marks ran across his long face, most ended up in his eyes. The once blazing red orbs now were dull white, barely pink even, and they stared forward emptily.

\- Horus… Pharaoh of the Gods – the old god answered, slightly bowing his head, ears moving constantly.

His voice was incredibly raspy and weak, no trace of the power it once held.

\- I need you to answer a question – the falcon god moved to the point.

He glanced at the clawed hands resting on the desert god's lap for a second, remembering how those fists had knocked him out of the air. He dismissed the thought quickly, though.

\- If I am able, I will – Seth slightly tilted his head.

His new-found obedience was actually more off-putting than if he had been aggressive and rebellious. It was just so different from the norm that Horus simply couldn't get used to it. Every time he stepped inside here (which wasn't that many, to be fair), he expected shouting, cursing, maybe even being attacked, but Seth didn't deliver, not once. That dangerous, treacherous spark had left him… Horus had to wonder for how long.

\- Anubis told us you have helped him break through your shield during our final battle – the falcon god explained, his sharp eyes not once leaving the older god who was sitting on the edge of his bed with a bent back. – I want to know: did that really happen, or was he delirious from the pain? I want an honest answer.

Silence followed, Seth did not even twitch.

\- Seth! – Horus said in a louder voice. – Answer me.

-… I did help him.

The falcon god nodded slightly. He did trust Anubis, but as the leader he had make absolutely sure. Now he knew.

\- Why did you do it? – he asked.

-… Hmph, you actually believe me – Seth commented softly.

\- I believe _Anubis_. You just confirmed it further.

\- Very well.

\- You haven't answered me yet.

\- Because this one, you would not believe – Seth slightly raised his head like he was looking at his nephew.

\- Try me – Horus snorted, crossing his arms across his chest.

-… I wanted out. I did not care how, but I wanted it to end – Seth answered after a slight pause. – That is it, Horus. I am too tired to go on like this. Do with me what you will, I do not care anymore. I do not have the strength for it.

\- Why do I get the feeling you are not telling me everything? – Horus pointed out.

\- Maybe. I have told you the part that concerns you. The rest… I am still trying to figure out myself – Seth shrugged slightly.

The two gods fell silent.

\- Perhaps both of us are getting old for this – Horus sighed finally. – A quiet peace might do us some good.

\- A war god preaching about peace – Seth snorted, "staring" forward emptily.

\- I am a king, a husband and a protector as well. I see beyond war and conflict, Seth – Horus shot a glare at his uncle. – Why? Do you really want to continue this petty argument we have?

\- Do we have a _choice_ , kid?

\- We always do.

\- You have always been an idealistic idiot in some way. Guess you got it from your father.

\- And Anubis got your "refuse to die" trait – the falcon god commented, letting go of a slight smirk.

-… He did, now did he not? – Seth said softly. – I am proud of him. What he did was remarkable.

\- That we can both agree on – Horus nodded.

\- I thought you hated him.

\- And I thought you called him a no-good bastard.

Seth snorted again. Then they fell silent again. It took Horus a minute to realize that this conversation had been the longest civilized one he had ever had with his uncle. Huh… guess there **are** new things under the sun.

\- So… Seth. If you don't care about what happens from now on – Horus began, casually dusting his shoulder off. – Does that mean you won't refuse a peace-offering either?

The desert god chuckled weakly at this.

\- Peace? – he echoed. – Your _dear_ mother will not allow it.

\- Isis is not the pharaoh of the gods – Horus pointed out simply. – She harbors much hatred for you, that is true. But she wasn't the one who spent eons fighting you off in countless different ways. I personally am getting really tired of it… and I am the one making this decision.

\- And what would I do? Live here, in the City? Do not make me laugh. Your people would never abide by that, and you know it. Besides, I have lived most of my life a vagabond. Settling down is no longer my thing – Seth waved angrily.

\- I've never said that – Horus shook his head. – I merely offered peace: you do not attack us, we will not hunt you. Beyond that, you would go wherever and do whatever you want, unless it poses a threat to us or to the Overworld. It is not like we can restrain you, apparently.

\- Oh… that.

\- So you know about it.

\- I only know that it is happening on its own accord – Seth shrugged. – Feel a surge of energy that I do not know where it comes from… then the chains fall off and there I stand, free again. And the power's gone like vapor.

\- Yes… free – Horus repeated as an idea popped up in his mind, his eyes growing wider at it. – Free… You are always set _free_.

\- Horus?

The falcon good shook his head, dismissing but storing away the thought for now.

\- Nevermind. I'll have to consult Thoth regarding this. Anyway… so what do you say? Do you accept my offer, uncle?

Seth stayed silent for a long time. Horus remained leaning against the column, it wasn't like he had to rush anywhere. He reached out with his right hand, slightly snapping his fingers so Seth would know where it was. The elder god's ears turned to the sound, but that was the only reaction from him.

Finally, after two minutes, maybe three, the desert god raised his hand and slowly, uncertainly reached out in the general direction of Horus. The falcon god took it, feeling the rough, tattered skin against his palm and they shook.

\- I would be a fool not to accept some peace and quiet after this hell-ride – Seth mumbled as they let go.

\- That makes two of us – Horus nodded, slightly smiling. – But until you are strong enough, it is best if you stay here. Thoth and Imhotep can watch over you.

\- Bah, I can barely stand, kid! Where should I run off to?

\- And… you and Nephthys also has a lot of catching-up to do – Horus added.

-… You just stay away from that subject, Horus! – Seth growled angrily.

\- I merely offer options to spend the time with here – the falcon god shrugged nonchalantly as he pushed himself away from the pillar and began walking towards the door. – Good night, uncle.

The creaking of the door was kinda loud, but Horus could swear he heard a weak "Good night" coming from the room.

oooOOOooo

\- Ah, Thoth! Thank goodness, you are still awake.

\- As you are. Why are you not resting, Horus? – Thoth sighed as he stood up from his desk.

He had been revising the plans for the rebuilding, and making sure there had been no spelling or phrasing mistakes in the countless magic scrolls the others were using for the renovations. One wrong word and a building could go up in flames or start flying like a drunken hornet (he had seen that before, it was much, **much** less fun than it sounded). So when Horus poked his head inside the entrance of his temple, Thoth was still wide awake and working.

\- Do not think I cannot see your exhaustion, young one – the ibis god frowned at his visitor, walking up to him. – You need to sleep more.

\- I will, just—listen – Horus huffed, running his fingers across his hair. – I need to discuss something with you. It is important. Also, it is regarding Seth.

\- Oh dear, what is it? – Thoth braced himself. He really didn't need another shouting round. Ra's outburst had been quite enough for him.

\- I have talked to him. Long story short: he told me whenever he is chained, he feels a sudden surge of power that flicks off his bonds then disappears like it wasn't even there.

\- Yes, and?

\- Now… it **is** possible for a god to gain a new title and new powers during his life, ones that he hadn't been born with originally, right?

\- Of course, it had happened many times before – Thoth mused. – I had gained the power of the Moon and Time when Khonsu was forgotten. Your father became Lord of the Underworld, the symbol of resurrection itself. Your mother had not been called The Mother Goddess before she bore you. Why do you ask?

\- Well, Thoth – Horus exhaled loudly, placing his hands on his hips and looking away in the distance –, I do believe we now have a God of Freedom among us.

\- God of—? – Thoth asked in disbelief before his eyes grew wide with understanding. – Seth? Oh… oh my. That is… surprising.

\- I know, right?

\- Isis will explode with anger at this.

\- Oh, just wait for the meeting tomorrow – Horus sighed and waved in defeat. – Ooooh boy.

\- So you have made your decision.

\- I did. You can guess it, huh?

\- I do, most definitely – Thoth nodded before a small smile appeared on his beak. – But know, Horus, that I support the path you took. Our family needs some peace… we have gone through too much pain already. You may be able to break this cycle, at least partially.

\- Thanks, Thoth – Horus returned the smile, looking back at the ibis. – I appreciate it. And don't you worry… I will come up with something to calm Ra down.

\- No. Young one, it is best that you stay out of it – Thoth shook his head sadly. – I am grateful for your effort, but Ra is not someone you want as your enemy. You will only turn his rage at yourself and I cannot allow that. I am the one who caused it in the first place, it is my responsibility to bear it.

\- But for how much longer, Thoth? It's been **eons** since you have helped Nut give birth to my parents. How much longer can Ra hold onto this?! – Horus frowned.

\- However long he feels like it – Thoth said softly. – Persistence is a… strong stroke in our family.

\- Ha! That is true – Horus snorted with humor. – Guess we can thank him for it. Where would we be now without the good old head-strong nature of ours?

Thoth chuckled as well, before inhaling loudly.

\- You should sleep, young one – he offered gently. – Tomorrow will be a hard battle for you.

\- It will be hard for all of us – Horus agreed tiredly.

He began walking away, waving.

\- Good night, Thoth! – he called over his shoulder one last time.

\- Pleasant dreams, o pharaoh – Thoth slightly bowed his head before retreating into his temple.

oooOOOooo

-… So yeah, that's the state Nashville is in currently – Cleo finished her recollection of the Overworld.

Even though their given rooms were elsewhere, the entire band gathered inside Anubis' temple and didn't even think about going to sleep just yet. Cleo was sitting on the bed next to Anubis who turned into his teenager form, wearing traditional Egyptian clothing and of course the bandages on his right arm. Tutenstein and Gramps sat on chairs facing the two of them, while Luxor happily napped on the pillow of the god.

\- I'm so sorry to hear all of this – Anubis sighed, scratching his hair that he left spiky and messy. – But I couldn't be happier that you are all alright. What has happened to you while I was gone with Horus and Nephthys? Where did that "Vanquisher of Demons" come from?

\- Oh… you noticed it? – Cleo blushed again.

\- Titles are very important to us, Cleo – Anubis smiled at him. – It is second nature to me to make note of every single one I hear.

\- Well…

\- She killed Nahaher single-handedly, using the Ankh of Ra – Tutenstein proudly announced.

\- You—you did?! – Anubis stared at the girl who turned even redder at this. – Why, that's **amazing**!

\- It was luck, mostly – Cleo tried to dismiss the compliment.

\- It could not have been luck! You used the magical symbol of a god, not just any god, mind you! And… Ra gave this title to you?

\- Yes? I thought he was only joking—

\- No, no, he wasn't – Anubis shook his, smiling. – The sun god, the first king of all the gods has given you a second name, Cleo. You must cherish it and wear it with pride. This… I don't even think such thing has ever happened before to a mortal. If there was ever a god who is hard to impress, it is Ra. And you did it! Cleo, you really did it! – he laughed full-heartedly and suddenly hugged the girl.

Cleo hiccupped loudly at the sudden embrace but she returned it awkwardly. Anubis was really warm and laughter looked very good on him. And he was fine… dear gods, he was okay, just like every other close friend and relative she had.

Cleo finally realized just how fortunate she was and promptly burst out in tears at this.

\- Cleo, are you alright? – Anubis asked worriedly, trying to pull away, but the girl's arms grew tighter around him.

\- I'm just—so, so happy that you are okay. That all of you are okay! – she sniffled, then let go and held out her arms to the others as well. – Come here, guys! I can't believe I've never told you how much I love all of you!

Tut smiled like a fool as he bounced there, followed by the warmly smiling Gramps and the purring Luxor and soon a group hug formed.

\- Come here, sonny! You are a part of this – Gramps laughed with tears in his eyes and hooked an arm around Anubis' shoulder, pulling him in.

The god laughed, showing no resistance whatsoever.

It was good to be among friends, afterall.

oooOOOooo

The next day, all hell broke loose.

Thoth's prediction about Isis' reaction had been a terrible understatement.

The meeting was held among the highest gods, just like yesterday night. Cleo and her group, however, was not present, for which Horus was eternally grateful. Anubis had assured him that the mortals were merely sleeping deeply and peacefully… leaving out that minor detail that they were all nestled inside Anubis' temple and not in their rooms. Horus honestly didn't care why they were away, he was just happy they weren't there.

Because Isis was not happy, at all, even at the start of the meeting.

\- Son, please tell me you have decided well regarding Seth's fate – she said, clearly tensed.

\- I did – Horus nodded.

\- And? – Osiris asked.

The falcon god inhaled and exhaled deeply, slowly stood up from his throne and strolled before the gathered gods.

\- I have taken in account all you have told me – he announced, lacing his hands together behind his back. – His crimes _as well_ as his final act of support – he nodded towards Anubis, who returned the gesture, clearly relieved.

\- So? Will you banish him? – Ra rested his chin on his fist as he leaned onto the armrest.

\- I have _also_ reached the conclusion that our pantheon now needs peace, now more than ever – Horus went on, letting the question fly over his head. – **All** … of our pantheon.

Anubis' ears slightly rose higher at this sentence.

\- So I have decided to offer peace to Seth, and once he has recovered, he can leave the City on his own accord and wander wherever he wishes – Horus declared, locking eyes with his audience. – Provided, of course, that it does not pose danger to us or the Overworld.

Isis almost literally froze to her throne, paling like a salt statue. Horus glanced at Anubis and Nephthys, both of whom returned the look with bright eyes that shone with silent gratitude. Good, so he had three supporters for sure. He was going to need them.

\- _WHAAAAAT?!_ – Isis screamed, her voice shaking the entire temple to its core.

Horus wasn't fazed, although he did take a deep breath.

\- Mother, please, hear me out—

\- _YOU WOULD ALLOW THAT_ _ **MONSTER**_ _TO ROAM FREELY?!_

\- He is a god, and your brother, not a monster. Mother, you have not seen him—

\- _HOW CAN YOU BE SO_ _ **GULLIBLE**_ _?! DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE A SINGLE WORD HE IS SAYING?!_

\- I am **not** gullible, mother. Just because I believe him, that doesn't mean that I also trust—

\- _SETH DESERVES NOTHING BUT BANISHMENT, AT BEST! HE_ _ **RUINED**_ _US, HE_ _ **TORTURED**_ _US! HE DESERVES PUNISH—_

\- **ENOUGH, MOTHER!** – Horus boomed in a powerful voice that washed away the wind-like screeching of the goddess'.

Silence settled over the Assembly Room. Osiris wordlessly stroke the hand of his wife, trying to calm him down. Ra's eyes shone with malevolent glee at the goddess' state, but he too remained silent. Atum was completely unreadable.

\- Seth **deserves** a chance to be left alone! – Horus continued, once there had been nobody to speak up. – He **deserves** peace, we **all** deserve it! But this constant anger, this constant fighting will not bring it to us! Seth is tired, worn out, fed up with this conflict and so **am I**! I didn't have time for myself and Hathor, I couldn't spend time with my wife, because I was too busy fighting off Seth's every attempt to threaten us. No more! This ends today!

His voice echoed for a long time among the countless pillars. Thoth smiled slightly, encouraging him.

\- Seth has changed – Horus exhaled loudly, trying to control his anger. – For the better or for the worst, I cannot tell in such a short time, but he **did**. Isfet has left him He is now the God of **Freedom**. If there was **ever** a chance for peace, true peace in our family… now is the time. I will **not** let this go.

Ra smirked. It was impossible to tell whether it was a mocking gesture, or an impressed one, but Horus was long past the point of caring.

\- Is there anyone who dares challenge my word? – he asked with great determination. – Speak up now… or be silent forever.

\- Osiris… are you—? – Isis panted, staring at her husband in utter shock.

\- I… cannot say I do not see your reason, son – the God of the Underworld sighed in defeat.

\- Kid speaks reason, Isis – Ra commented gleefully. – Do we really need another eon of demons banging on our doors, sent by Seth? _Really_?

\- As the God of Life, I can only support this path – Atum nodded.

\- Keeping the peace in the family has been my duty many times – Thoth said. – And I know fully well that sometimes… sometimes we need to go against the norm, to achieve great changes.

\- Of course you would know that – Ra grumbled.

\- Yes… I do – Thoth slightly turned his head into the other god's direction. – And I keep hoping that one day… others will see the reason behind it as well.

Ra only snorted and looked away.

\- God of Freedom – mused Nephthys. – It does have a nice ring to it.

\- And it fits… strange as it may sound – Anubis agreed, before turning to Horus. – Thank you for listening.

\- Thank **you** for telling me everything – Horus nodded. – So… once again: is there anyone who dares challenge my word?

The silence was his answer.

\- Then the decision has been made. The meeting is dismissed!


	44. Happy Ending

**In which things finally, FINALLY work out.**

 **oooOOOooo**

 ** _Happy Ending_**

\- Damnit, mum's probably flipping out right now! – Cleo cried out in distress as she run around the temple, desperately trying to make some order in her clothes.

\- Relax, she'll be fine – Gramps waved nonchalantly.

\- Fine?! Gramps, we disappeared from the house! You think she just shrugs this off?!

\- Cleo… – Anubis, in his god form, tried to calm her down.

\- She's probably currently screaming her head off in sheer terror! – the girl gasped with absolute horror on her face. – We must get back as fast as possible!

\- Nah, it's okay – came a new voice from the entrance of the temple.

Bes stood there, grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat.

\- What do you mean? – asked Anubis.

\- Welll… I woke up at dawn to escort you guys back to the Overworld. However, when I found you all sound asleep in here, I decided to go up myself and buy you some time – the little dwarf god bounced inside happily.

\- You did _what_? – Cleo stared at him.

\- I wanted to cast a sleeping spell on her so she would sleep for longer. But when I arrived, I saw her leaving the house in a hurry, talking to that little device with the voices inside—

\- A cellphone – Gramps nodded.

\- Yes, that! – Bes agreed eagerly. – She said something about some plans and works. Soo… I guess she didn't even notice you weren't in your rooms.

\- Oh… oh thank goodness! – Cleo let out a loud sigh, wiping off her forehead. – She was called to work and probably didn't want to wake us…

\- Told you it would be fine – Gramps smiled at her.

\- Although, it would be wise to return you to your home, before she comes back – Anubis smiled slightly.

\- And we need to find you a good place to stay at finally – Cleo turned to Tutenstein. – Now that everything is back to normal… well, as much as it can… it is even more important that you hide.

\- Done that! – Bes exclaimed.

\- What? – Anubis looked at him.

\- I may or may not have visited the museum for old times' sake, aaaand I may or may not have reconstructed the sarcophagus and the storage tomb for the pharaoh – the dwarf god grinned. – You know, just these two so… it wouldn't be too suspicious.

\- Bes! Why… thank you so much! – Tut gasped in surprise.

\- We owe you one – Cleo said as well.

\- Friends owe nothing to friends – Bes pointed out. – I just wanted to make things a bit easier for you. Now… shall we go?

\- Just a minute, Bes – Anubis called out, before turning to Cleo and crouching down to her. – Cleo Carter, Vanquisher of Demons. I am honored to call you and your family true friends. I wish to give you this.

He opened his hands in which a small silver amulet of a jackal lying on its belly appeared. Cleo took it with gentle hands.

\- It is a token of my appreciation… and a link to me – Anubis smiled warmly. – You can always reach me through this, call for me if you need help… or just someone to talk to. I will come as fast as I am able, I promise.

\- I… Thank you so much, Anubis – Cleo smiled at the jewel. – I will keep it close.

\- Furthermore – Bes announced in a slightly more serious tone. – Horus sends a message: he regrets that he cannot be here to properly wish you well, but he wants you all to know that the City is always open for you, be it for whatever reason you may have to come down here.

\- We are honored by his trust, please tell this to him – Gramps nodded his head.

\- We are truly blessed, guys – Tutenstein sighed.

\- Please, pharaoh, do try and keep out of trouble – Bes finished with a grin. – That's what Horus is saying.

\- No promises – Luxor sighed, grooming himself. – Trouble seems to find us all the time.

\- Guess it is the life we have all chosen – Gramps said.

\- And I wouldn't change it for anything – Cleo smiled up at Anubis.

\- I would have understood you if you chose your memories to be erased – the jackal god inhaled deeply. – No one could have blamed you for it. But I am so glad… and grateful that you decided otherwise. Losing you would have been painful.

Bes stomped his foot to which a familiar green portal appeared on the ground.

\- Should we go? – he asked, stepping inside it.

The mortals followed his example. Anubis gave one last squeeze to Cleo's hand before letting her go.

\- I'm serious: use the amulet whenever you wish – he said softly. – And… Cleo. I am always up for a night at the pizzeria.

Cleo laughed full-heartedly at this as she followed the others.

\- I wish you the best in life – the jackal god waved.

\- We wish you the same – Gramps called out as they sank into the portal, disappearing from sight.

Anubis sighed deeply and tilted his head upwards, eyes closed.

\- And may we all live in peace – he added softly.

oooOOOooo

\- You have made a _terrible_ mistake, Horus!

\- Mother, please, calm down and listen—

\- You have spelled the end of our family with this!

\- Mother, please!

\- You will regret it _horribly_!

Horus had to duck from a vase flying at his face.

After the meeting, he had allowed a few hours for her mother to digest the decision, before following her to her room and try to calm her down. So far, this wasn't going too well. Isis was shouting, throwing random objects all around while raw magical power shimmered around her due to her state of mind.

\- Seth cannot be trusted! – she exclaimed.

\- No, he can't, at least not yet – Horus nodded. – But mother, maybe all he needs is a single chance and he will leave us alone!

\- He will **never** leave us alone! He is obsessed, believing that we took away everything from him! – Isis smashed another vase at the wall.

\- You kind of did, mother. Or have you forgotten your trickery against Ra? – Horus grumbled.

\- I cannot believe my own son betrayed me! – the goddess screamed and spun around fast, throwing a cup at Horus.

The attack was so fast the falcon god couldn't get out of the way in time and the ceramic glass collided with his right cheek. It shattered on the ground loudly and left behind a slightly bent god grabbing his face and hissing from pain. Isis covered her mouth with her hands, tears filling her eyes. She reached out towards her son, slowly walking up to him.

\- Son, I am so sorry, I did not— – she gasped in shock.

\- You believe I _betrayed_ you, mother? – Horus asked in disbelief and hurt, straightening up and rubbing his cheek. – You brought me to this world, you raised me, you helped me survive the war. Why would I ever betray you?

Isis burst out in tears as she finally reached her son and buried herself into his hug.

\- All I want is peace and happiness for us – Horus mumbled, holding her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. – But we need to take this step to achieve that. We need to stop repeating same old mistakes over and over again.

He slowly pulled her to her bed and sat down, gently rocking her.

\- You need to let this go, mother. We all do.

\- I—I can't… – she panted in utter shock, wiping her tears into the feather-covered neck. – He will h—hurt you again. I can't—stand it!

\- He won't. I know.

\- H—how?!

\- I just do.

Isis wailed, her voice breaking Horus' heart further.

\- Mother… Mum? – he asked softly. – When I was small, you promised me that one day I would have a beautiful, large, happy family. Do you remember?

Isis just kept on crying.

\- You had said that it will come true once I am king – Horus went on, tightening his hug. – That I will bring joy and peace to all. And that I won't have to fight alone anymore. Remember?

Isis wordlessly nodded through her tears.

\- Well… will you help achieve this promise? – Horus asked, blinking rapidly to keep his own emotions at bay. – Will you let this day to come?

\- I do not know! – Isis snapped, pulling away and holding her son's face with her hands. – I cannot trust Seth .What if he hurts you again? I would never forgive myself!

\- You don't have to trust Seth, mother – Horus said gently. – Trust **me**. I'm not a helpless child anymore, you don't have to worry so much about me. Please.

Isis wept again, leaning back into the hug.

\- I love you, mum – Horus sighed deeply. – And I want life to be better for you as well. Do you trust me?

-… Y—yes, yes – the goddess sniffled. – I love you too, my little chick… I am just so _scared_ …

\- We will get through this just fine – promised Horus, smiling at his childhood nickname. – I can promise you that.

Isis took a deep breath:

\- Alright… alright – she said in a weak voice, finally letting his son go. – I—I am so sorry for just now, I… I need time to process all this.

\- Take your time – Horus nodded. – All I ask of you is that you trust in me.

\- That… I can do. Easily – Isis smiled slightly, rubbing her eyes.

She kissed Horus on the cheek, healing the slight damage done by the cup there.

\- Really, mother, I would have lived with that – the falcon god rolled his eyes, smirking.

The goddess just smiled apologetically at him.

oooOOOooo

\- So… the kid really came through. I cannot say I was expecting it – Seth snorted at the news.

\- He promised you the peace already? – Nephthys asked, sitting on a chair next to the bed.

\- He came here to talk. We shook on it.

The goddess looked away for a second, pondering.

\- He truly did grow up – she sighed. – He is no longer that temperamental kid who sat on the throne.

Seth remained silent.

-… Aren't you happy? – Nephthys turned back to him.

\- I am too tired to feel anything, really – Seth exhaled loudly, hot desert air puffing out of his nostrils. – I guess I am grateful… but happy? I am not sure I can even experience that emotion anymore.

\- You have always been a bit of a drama king – the goddess chuckled slightly. – Why wouldn't you be able to feel like everyone else?

She reached out carefully, trying to circle her fingers around the god's rough hand but he quickly pulled away. His incredibly sharp ears could not be fooled this easily.

\- Nephthys, no… we have been over this – Seth grumbled.

\- Seth… Are you sure you are "too tired" to feel anything? – Nephthys asked. – Is it not that you are **afraid** to feel anything?

The god let out a long tired sigh:

\- Neph… a part of my being has just recently tore itself out of me.

\- You are avoiding my question.

\- And if I do?

\- Isfet has **left** you – Nephthys said almost desperately. – You no longer have that evil force inside you. Do you not wish to take advantage out of this and perhaps… try to turn towards a happier path?

Seth took a shaky breath, swallowing hard, blind eyes staring emptily forward.

\- That is just it, Nephthys – he almost whispered. – I do not know **how**.

The goddess bit her lip and glanced down at her own hands at this.

\- Nearly all my life I have been fighting. I spent eons alone, isolated, fending for myself, I spent every waking moment in agony when I dared use my powers… I no longer remember what simple life is – Seth went on, his voice full of pain. – I am not even sure what "peace" really means! Tell me: how can I step on a new path when I do not even know where to look for it?!

-… Then why did you accept Horus' peace offering, if you knew it would leave you so lost? – Nephthys asked.

\- I do not know! – Seth snapped. – Maybe I have not truly believed he would mean it. Maybe I am just plain insane?!

\- Seth, you are not insane! – Nephthys reached out quickly and grabbed the god's hand. – You just need to rest and calm down and—

\- Do not touch me, woman! – Seth cried out and tore himself out of the grip, scuttling farther away on his bed.

Tears welled up the goddess' eyes and she sniffled, pressing her arms to her chest, tilting her head down.

-… I have done enough to you already – Seth said in a low, croaked voice, the words spilling out of him on their own accord. – It is better if you stay away from me.

Nephthys was so surprised at this, she forgot to cry. Glancing carefully up, she noted the genuine concern on her ex-husband's face.

\- Seth—

\- Do **not** dare to deny that – the desert god interrupted in a firm tone.

They fell silent, the goddess seizing the other up, and Seth just trying to figure out where those words had come from.

\- I—I believe you might already be on the right path, Seth – Nephthys finally spoke up, slightly smiling.

\- Do not be ridiculous! – the desert god snorted angrily.

\- In the past, you would have **never** said such things to me – she pointed out. – And do **not** dare to deny that – she echoed with mirth.

Seth actually chuckled a bit at those words, thrown straight back into his face.

\- I see you have not lost your spark – he noted. – I am… glad to know it.

\- So you **can** feel happiness – Nephthys observed.

Suddenly she stood up from her chair and settled down onto the end of the bed opposite from her ex-husband. She didn't make a move to touch him again, respecting his wish, but she sure as hell wouldn't budge from there, only by her own will. Seth slightly turned his head into her direction but did not comment.

\- Seth… if you truly feel lost, then allow us to help and guide you – Nephthys offered gently. – We can teach you everything again.

\- "We"?

\- Me and Anubis, mostly. Maybe even Horus.

\- Anubis **hates** me, Nephthys, and for good reason. Let us leave him out of this – Seth pointed out.

\- He has experienced what you had had to go through in your life – Nephthys shook her head. – He may not be _fond_ of you now, but he **understands** you. That is important.

Seth sighed in defeat after a shorter pause, massaging his neck:

\- You are just not going to let this one go, huh?

\- You are correct, my dear – Nephthys smiled warmly at him.

\- I have strong doubts that you will accomplish anything, really… But as long as I am here, it is not like I can avoid it anyway, now can I? – Seth leaned back, resting against the tapestry, "looking" at the opening on the ceiling.

\- You have gained much wisdom in such a short amount of time – Nephthys laughed softly.

Seth remained silent for a while, before he too began chuckling, the corner of his mouth curling upward.

\- This shall be interesting – he noted softly.

And with that, the two estranged spouses fell into a companionable silence and peace, and with them, the City as well. For whatever the future may bring, they would stand their ground firmly.

 **oooOOOooo**

 **Thank you so much for reading Banished By Mistake, and I hope you guys enjoyed it. :) There are a prologue and an epilogue mini-comic on my DA page (kenyizsu. deviantart. com), but with this, BBM is officially over, as well as probably my work in the Tutenstein franchise. Maybe one day I might revisit this place again, but that won't be tomorrow, or next week.**

 **Thank you for coming along for this ride, and keep being awesome!**

 **This is kenyizsu, signing off!**


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